The Assembly of a Turnabout
by sushi4427
Summary: "What do you take me for?" I asked, offended. "Some sort of petty thief?" "You ARE a petty thief," Riah insisted, even more irritated than I was. "Am not! I'm a professional!" Kay must form the new Yatagarasu with only her classmates.
1. Assembly: Part 1

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: This story was co-written by Fabula****.et,Dolum and sushi4427. **

**So everyone remembers what Kay said at the end of ****Miles Edgeworth****: "I'll make a team with three lovely ladies my age!" (Or something to that effect.) I can't believe it took me so long to think of this: when Kay were to make that team (maybe not entirely made of "three lovely ladies her age"), what would happen? And how would she assemble this team of her's?**

**Well, here it is.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Attorney series.**

Chapter One

When it comes to a robbery, it's all about timing.

It was that way when my late father, Byrne Faraday, stole evidence that could make a major company crumble. And it's that way when I steal student records from my high school's counseling office.

The key to not letting your classmates know that you're about to steal information about them is to act... well, is to act natural. So I talked to my friends as I walked to school, and I pretended that the lock-pick that fell out of my backpack was a bobby pin that I promptly put in my hair, thinking it would be a better hiding place anyway. And, as nonchalantly as I could, I entered the building and headed towards the counselor's office as opposed to my locker.

It was not unnatural for me to be at the counselor's office. I had had counseling ever since Dad died, even at my old school. When Mom moved back and I met Mr. Edgeworth, I had counseling here too. Granted, this counselor sucked and I planned to stop seeing her as soon as possible, but first, I needed the records. I needed the records to form a team.

I needed the records to form the Yatagarasu.

My father was not the ordinary thief. He was the modern day Robin Hood, the "Noble Thief". Yes. The Yatagarasu. He would find evidence that a company was corrupt, and using his prosecutor knowledge of everything criminal, he would steal it without the company knowing and send it to the public when it was too late. But not alone. And this would turn out to be unfortunate.

He had the help of defense attorney Calisto Yew, who could tell him the precise location of evidence, and Uncle- I mean Detective- Tyrell Bad, who got rid of the evidence before anyone even saw it. The team would've been invincible... if it weren't destined to fail. Calisto Yew, or whatever her real name is, was meant to betray the other Yatagarasu from the beginning. And... hence "late father".

But I think my father and Uncle Badd and even Calisto Yew had something going. I mean, they were bringing down the worst of the worst. And they had them running for their mommies, too! Sure, one of them was a horrible smuggler and murderer, but at least for a while she could pass off as a good person. So, wouldn't it just be fabulous if I got a team of people I knew I could trust, and we picked up right where Dad left off?

So that's why I didn't really feel guilty as I walked into the office, looking past the secretary and into the open door of the counselor's office. I happened to know that Mrs. Bullock wasn't in there at the moment; every morning she ate breakfast in the cafeteria at 7:45 and came back to her office at 8. It was 7:52. Not as much time as I would've hoped, but I once read one of my dad's secret Yatagarasu logs that said he performed a robbery involving two guard dogs, three military-style security systems, a half-asleep security guard that was convinced he was in a dream, and an padlock on a drawer. Leaving minimal evidence. All in fifteen minutes. I decided that I could rob an empty office in eight, no sweat.

"Good morning, Mrs. Corbin," I chirped to the secretary. "I was hoping to see Mrs. Bullock this morning."

"Of course, Kay," Mrs. Corbin replied. Her face clouded. "But, she's not here, as I thought you knew. Maybe you could come back later?" Time to turn on the sad girl-who-did-everything-but-see-her-father-get-brutally-murdered act. Or, kind-of act.

"Oh, that's fine," I sighed, looking down. "It's just that, today's Dad's birthday and all..." Mrs. Corbin froze, then began to click desperately on her keyboard, confirming what I just said. She found nothing contradictory. Of course I felt bad about planning my first real robbery on Dad's birthday; but I needed a reason to go into the office in case she wouldn't let me go in. As a fellow thief, I think he'd be okay with it. Maybe even... proud.

"Well, I suppose it's okay to wait in the office until Jacqueline comes back," Mrs. Corbin murmured, leaning back into her seat and looking at the screen. Am I the only person who hates it when adults call teachers or administrators by their first names? Then you're thinking: _Jacqueline? Who the heck is- oh, wait..._

"Thank you." I scurried around the desk and into the office. I couldn't believe it! I was in! My first robbery was under way. Unfortunately, looking at the clock, I realized I only had five minutes to pull it off.

"Dad could've done it," I whispered to myself. Then, I tugged on my ever-present gloves and set to work.

At my last school, when I was still really little, my counselor told me something: in every office of every counselor in the entire district, there was a box of files that had every permanent record of the students. Not the actual records, just copies; those were on the computer, and these old files were hardly ever touched. Mrs. Dean had told me that they were basically just a formality, and it was a pain to add the new records every year or to update them. I had this in mind when I came to this new school, with fantasies of a second-generation Yatagarasu forming in my mind. Mrs. Bullock told me that yes, they did have files like that, but she didn't tell me where. That's what I was doing now. Finding them. And hope that Mrs. Bullock never looked at those files, either.

No evidence left behind, right?

First thing first, I checked the world's biggest filing cabinet. As I used my lockpick to open the locked drawers, I reviewed my plan in my head: get the files today, put them back tomorrow. I definitely wouldn't be able to do my homework, sorting through all the files and all, but the downfall of some of the most corrupt companies in America was worth a few minor zeroes.

Surprise surprise, the records were in the cabinet. The drawer I had opened had the records for the current sophomores, but I certainly hadn't expected so many. I carefully lifted them out and put them in my gym bag. My grade in P.E. would have to suffer as well, but it happens. I opened the drawer under it, extracting the files for the freshmen, not thinking I would find anything interesting. I opened the drawer that was second to the top, hastily stuffing the junior files in my actual backpack. Both bags were getting heavy now, and I knew that not only would my grades be suffering but my back as well. Finally, I opened the top drawer: the one with the seniors, and I was aware that somewhere in there was my own file. Because I was sure that my team would mostly consist of people my age, I took extra care with these. Unfortunately, my care went to waste: a couple of rogue files fell from my bag when I tried to zip it up and floated gracefully across the room.

I slung my half-open backpack to the wall, and mercifully more files didn't fall out. I chased the stray ones, scooping them up and gathering them up in my arms. As I was running past Mrs. Bullock's desk to secure the last one, which was lying on a sofa that I sat on whenever we had our talks, I caught a glimpse of the time. Three minutes until she was supposed to be back. This was going better than I-

"Kay?" I spun around, switching hands so that the files were behind my back. For the first time since she began working here, Mrs. Bullock had come back early from breakfast.

"Mrs. Bullock!" I exclaimed. "I... I didn't think you'd be back so early."

"Well, Mrs. Corbin told me about what today is, and I felt obliged to come talk to you about it." Oh, great. _Now _she becomes a good counselor.

"Well, um, okay!" I replied hurriedly running over to the couch and sitting on the file. Hopefully she wouldn't notice that my backpack and gym bag were lying right by the filing cabinet, overflowing with student's secrets.

"So, why don't you just tell me about your father? Anything about him." How could I get her out of here? Would she notice that I was so jittery? Why did she have to be so nice now?

"He was so noble," I found myself saying. "He fought for justice in more ways than one. I want to fight for justice like him." Suddenly, I found myself bursting into tears. Mrs. Bullock rushed to my side, trying to console me.

"There, there. Is there anything that I can do to make me feel better?" That's when it hit me. I wiped my watery eyes and pulled out a dollar bill.

"C-c-could you g-go get me a w-w-water?" Mrs. Bullock snatched the dollar and promised she'd be right back. I prayed that she wouldn't.

Wiping my eyes in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the crying, I raced over to my backpack and miraculously stuffed the files into it. I zipped it up (also a miracle), then slumped against the wall and cried some more. I didn't get it. I hadn't cried this much the day he died. And I hadn't cried for him in a while altogether. Why now?

_Don't worry, Daddy _I promised him. _I'll finish what you started._

Mrs. Bullock appeared and gave me the bottle of water, which I gulped down in two swigs. She didn't ask why I'd moved to the other side of the room, only sat there with me and tried to comfort me. After this going on for about an hour and a half (and a few more bottles of water from Mrs. Bullock's own wallet), and the tears showing no sign of letting up, she suggested I just stay home. I agreed that this was a good idea, since I'd been feeling nauseous anyway, and she called my mom while I moved back over to the sofa with my bags. My mom came quickly, and I sucked down all the tears, and I swore that I'd never cry for him again.

After all, he was the Yatagarasu. And I'd just become the Yatagarasu.

And you can't cry for someone who has been reborn.

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! I hope to have the next chapter up soon, so hopefully no one will have to wait long. Please review!**


	2. Assembly: Part 2

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Sushi: Yep. Two reviews. On the same day. March 4****th****. The day I posted it. Fabula: Sushi's mind is blown! Sushi: My mind is very much blown! My mind looks like that scene where Godot's mask blows up! **

**Today, I came home from a great day at school, thinking "I'm gonna go home and find five people subscribed to my story!"(Sarcastically, of course.) What do I find? 5. FRICKIN'. SUBSCRIBERS. And TWO reviews! I had ****Sardonic**** up for about a month before I got a review. And that was from SkullChicka. Complimenting her own character.**

**I need to write AA fanfics more often.**

**So, I always respond to my reviews, so here:**

**TheNextAlice: You're question will be answered in this chapter. Thanks for the compliment!**

**Apollo Fell For An Angel: Thank you so much! According to Fabula, good Kay fanfics are rare. It's a shame; I like her a lot. I'm happy that I bring her justice.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ace Attorney. (Sorry this author's note's so long, I'm excited!)**

Chapter 2

My mother sent me upstairs with a canteen of hot tea and orders to read a nice, funny book. The backpack and gym bag I brought with me on my own accord.

So it wasn't my mother's words echoing in my head as I spread the hundreds of files out in front of me; it was my aunt's. Aunt Margo was my dad's sister, and she knew everything. And yet, when I asked her what kinds of people you should have on a team of teenage thieves, she gave me _very _specific descriptions. I had an awesome aunt.

"One: You need a cheerleader. She's flexible and good at jumping and could be the initial thief."

Um, no thanks, Aunt Margo. _I'm _the thief. And the cheerleading squad had made fun of my outfit earlier, so I didn't feel bad tossing all their files aside.

"Two: You need muscle. Someone that can throw the cheerleader over a wall or something. A football player or a wood worker would be perfect."

Of course I had my first thought: Jason Long, Myren High's very own Mr. Perfect. Valedictorian. Homecoming King. And quarterback, of course. I found his record pretty easily, considering how big it was. Yes, he would certainly do. Sure, he was in chorus, which wasn't exactly word-working, but that's fine. I picked up his file… and another peeled off from underneath it.

Eric Weisner. Senior, age 18. Dark hair, skin, and eyes. 6'4. Gets B's and C's. Best known as the linebacker on the football team, protecting his best friend Jason.

Jason Long and Eric Weisner. Fellow football players and best friends. I almost forgot about him entirely. _But I've already_ _got my muscle. _I was about to put his file aside with the cheerleaders, when I saw his other elective. Wood Working, 4th period, Mr. Greene.

I believed in fate, and so I instead put Jason's file away with no regret and set Eric's on top of my own.

"You'd need an AV guy, too, to cut video tapes and hack into security systems. But they're usually wimps; it's definitely a good idea to get some muscle."

I feel really, really, really bad about saying this, but the second I heard her say "wimp", I knew exactly who I wanted for the job.

Ian Cain, my best friend. Senior, age 17. Blonde hair, blue eyes, freckles. 5'9. Top of his AV class, and good at fixing things, too.

And I also knew he could hack, because he had recently done so with my school account without batting an eye. Sure, he'd need to hack into a lot more than a school account to be on the Yatagarasu, but he could practice. I found his file and set it on mine and Eric's.

"And you'd need a chess player. They're good with strategizing and will be able to think of escape routes in seconds, if they're good enough."

I found every members of the chess club, but it didn't take long to find the only one "good enough" to be on the Yatagarasu.

Reese Emmitt. Senior, age 18. Wavy light brown hair, sea green eyes. 5'5. Captain of the chess team since the second semester of her freshman year.

She always made it to state in competitions, and there was talk of her going to nationals this year. If she could do that, she could think of an escape route or backup plan when needed. She joined Eric, Ian, and I on the right side of my bed.

"You'd probably need someone to gather information about what you're stealing, too. A drama kid, perhaps. They could go to the places where the targeted item is and get information."

It wasn't hard to find all the drama students worth considering; I had kept a program from the last play for this very purpose. I went ahead and got all their files, but really the ones for the freshmen and sophomores were a formality. I had a team made entirely of seniors at the moment, and because I regrettably have that normal upperclassmen superiority feel, I didn't mind leaving freshmen out of the action. I sorted out the main actors from the play, the ones that I knew were good, and decided to go ahead and skim some of the other student's files in case there was something interesting. And then, I saw "Edgeworth".

Cody Hackins. Freshman, age 14. Black hair usually in a hat, brown eyes. 5'0. Was by far the best freshman actor and maybe underclassman actor in general, was obsessed with Otaku shows, and had the biggest smart mouth ever.

I flipped back to where I had seen Mr. Edgeworth's name. So Otaku boy had a criminal record, too. He trespassed onto the _Steel Samurai _set when he was only ten, three years ago. If he could find information to get him onto a set secretly as a little kid, who could do a heck of a lot more as a freshman.

And, like I said, I believed in fate and therefore put his file with the others without hesitation.

And then came the hardest part. The third leg of Yatagarasu: he never left a shred of evidence. This was because they had their own personal detective that always got the Yatagarasu cases, and he disposed of anything my father left behind. But the hard part was finding someone that could pass for a detective in high school. At Myren's rival school, Schofield, they had a Forensics class and Law and Justice class, but we didn't. I couldn't skim, because even the smallest detail could lead to a big discovery, the possibly the only discovery that I could find. It was mind-numbing, going through every senior's (I decided that I'd start there, but certainly wouldn't stop) file, and I had already told my mom I wasn't in the mood for lunch once and it was getting close to dinner time.

Then I found Riah Blake's senior project.

Riah Blake. Senior, age 17. Short, ashy blonde hair, grey eyes. 5'3. Art student, best known for her comics in the newspaper.

Every senior at Myren was required to do an independent project of their own choosing. It could be literally anything; you could make a really cool costume, or plan a wedding, or put on a movie night on the football field. Riah Blake had decided to write a comic on crime and had been doing her research in all different kinds of places. Including business buildings. I flipped to the next page, and it was where the teachers out comments on the student.

"Not only is she smart, she is the most observant student I've ever had and probably ever will have. I've had the same textbook for three years, and I thought it was just fine until she came along. She's pointing out new typos every day!"

I looked at where she was from: Paddington, England. Oh yeah. She was on.

_That comic is about to become a whole lot more interesting._

Putting all the other files inside a trash bag by my bed, deciding that I'd sort them later for when I put them back in the office, and stared at the six selected. It had the defense, prosecution, and detective that my dad's Yatagarasu had, and then some. I couldn't help but smile to myself. A thief's daughter, a football player, an AV nerd (my best friend), a chess player, an Otaku freshman, and an observant artist. We'd be unstoppable. If I could just get them to join.

"Kay! It's almost six. Do you want to go out for dinner?" Food? I had completely forgotten it was such a thing existed. But forming a team of high school thieves that would eventually leave the corrupt business world shivering in their boots was tiring, and I found myself ravenous.

"Yeah!" I yelled back. Then, I added: "Let's go somewhere with Swiss rolls."

**Author's Note: So there you have it. Yes, TheNextAlice, Cody is from the first Phoenix Wright game, but the rest are OCs. Fabula and I plan on incorporating a lot of other AA characters to the story, though, so be on the lookout for anyone that sounds familiar.**

**Thank you all so much for reading! Unfortunately, I doubt I'll be able to update this frequently from now on, but I'll try my best. Please review in the meantime!**


	3. Assembly: Part 3

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: New favorite reviewer ever! TheNextAlice, Fabula and I loved your review and you are very much welcome!**

**For kittycaty0328, Fabula and I decided that his birthday would've come right after the Steel Samurai trial (I can just imagine him freaking out because he got to see the Steel Samurai so close to his birthday!) Thanks, I definitely will keep writing!**

**I actually really like these reviews with questions, no one ever did that with my other story. Please, if you have any questions at all, Fabula and I will be happy to answer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the AA series.**

Chapter 3

"Hey Ian, can you help me with something?" He'd be the easiest. Ian did anything I wanted him too.

"Sure, Kay. What's up?"

"There's this business building I want to rob, but I need someone to hack into the security systems. Can you help?"

"Well, sure, I could find a way to work around- wait, what?"

"Come on, Ian, please?" I begged, trying not to beat around the bush with my best friend. After all, he _was _unknowingly helping me carry all the files back to the school (and bless his heart, the boy's got no upper body strength.) "It'll be like _Mission Impossible_, except we're-"

"The bad guys?" he replied, having a hard time keeping his voice low. "What do you think you're doing? If you want to steal something and fence it off or something, there are other ways to pay for law school or whatever it is you want to money for!"

"Hey!" I snapped, halting. Law school was a touchy subject with me nowadays, since my mom seemed to really want me to pick any other profession besides the one that my dad had chosen. The profession that both my heroes occupied. "What do you think we'd be stealing? Some diamond, or a faded vase? We'd be stealing the truth, Ian." I grinned, then leaned closer to him. "We'd be the Yatagarasu." I swiped his paperboy-style hat as he digested my words.

"I know that word... Yatagarasu...Yatag- no. No no no no no. Absolutely not. Do you remember what happened to that one prosecutor guy that was the Yatagarasu?" I cocked my brow and stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to catch on. "Wait, why are you- oh crap. No, Kay. I don't care if it was your father. No. Please, no."

"Come _on_!" I whined, slapping the hat back on his head and starting to walk again. "Why can't we? I'd be the thief, you'd be the tech geek guy, and we'd get a few more people to help us-"

"Who else?" he asked cautiously. I sighed and pulled the chosen records from the smallest pocket of my backpack and held them out to him.

"Wait are those...?" He didn't finish, but instead ripped open my gym bag and recoiled at the sight that met his eyes. "Are these student records? Where did you get them?"

"Yesterday at the counselor's office," I replied calmly, withdrawing the files and putting them back. "Relax, my old counselor said that these were never even touched. I highly doubt that they're missed. And, look, I already committed a robbery on my own- imagine what we could do together?" Ian bit his lip and slowly began to zip up the bag. "Pleaaaassseeee help me," I begged, giving him the puppy dog eyes. I'd gotten him to share about a hundred bags of chips that way, and this boy liked his Dorito's.

"No. I'm not looking. I'm not... UGH. Fine. I'll help you, but you have to promise that we don't get caught."

"Yay!" I exclaimed, jumping up and down. I cleared my throat, then stated: "I solemnly swear that I will not get caught."

"That's not what I asked," Ian retorted. "I said _we. We _can't get caught."

"Fine. I solemnly swear that _we _won't get caught. Are you ready now?"

"Very much so. Let's go."

At school...

There was police cars, as far as the eye could see.

"I don't want to help you hack into high-security buidings," Ian stated, his voice devoid of all emotion.

"To late. You already said you would. Now give me that bag!" I ripped it off his back, and threw both of them into the bushes. "Now, act natural. No one will suspect us if we act like we don't know anything." I did just fine, but Ian's stupid, scrawny body seemed intent on shaking as we neared the school. I approached a police officer as we neared the door, and he eyed my best friend.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked, proud of my acting skills.

"There has been a robbery in the counselor's office," the officer explained, not showing any emotion. "All the paper student records were stolen. Mrs. Jacquelyn Bullock said that she would not have noticed, but the program that allowed her to look at the files wasn't working yesterday."

_Well, luck of the devil _I thought to myself sarcastically.

"Any suspects?" Ian asked in a way that made me want to punch him and hiss that he should just shut up.

"No, not yet," the officer replied suspiciously. "But we might soon." Ian gulped, and I thought a few not-so-K-rated words.

"Hey, back down, pal!" came a very familiar, very welcome voice. The tall, scruffy Detective Gumshoe appeared behind the officer, breathing heavily. "I know this girl, and if this boy's with her, I trust him, too!"

"Well, okay, Detective," replied the officer. He looked at us, then at Gumshoe, and decided to salute and walk away.

"Gummy!" I squealed, wrapping my arms around as much of him as I could. "This is so cool! I haven't gotten to see you since we put Ambassador Alba behind bars, and now you're here!"

"Yeah, good times," chuckled Detective Gumshoe dreamily as he hugged me back. He looked past me, and then stared at Ian severely. "Who are you, pal?"

"That's Ian," I replied, squirming out of the hug. "He's my best friend."

"Uh, thanks for helping me and... stuff," Ian thanked.

"Well, you didn't steal 'em, did you, pal?" Gumshoe exclaimed.

"Wha- no, I didn't, I swear!"

"Don't be mean to him, Gummy," I scolded, poking the detective's side. "He may be a wimp, but like I said, he's my friend!"

"Wait, hey..."

"You're right, Kay," Gumshoe chuckled, slapping Ian in the back. I could've sworn that I heard a sickening _crunch_, and the look on his face nearly confirmed that his spine had just been bent in a painful way. "Sorry, pal, I should've trusted you more."

"It's... fine..."

"Well, I gotta go and do a bit more investigating, so I'll see you later."

"Okay, bye, Gummy- oh wait! Aren't you in the homicide division?" I asked.

"Yep. But since this appears to b a minor case, and I knew this was your school, I offered to help investigate and it was allowed. But according to the counselor lady, there aren't really any suspects, so we'll be heading back soon and hoping they turn up."

_Leave soon and they'll turn up, all right_ I thought to myself.

"Um, Kay, we may be early but we've still got to go," Ian stated.

"What- oh, right, education. Well, bye Gummy! Good luck with your investigation!" Not.

"Thanks Kay. Come by and visit Mr. Edgeworth and I sometime, okay?"

"You got it! Bye!" With that, I dragged Ian into the school where I promptly socked him in the arm. "That's for being a terrible actor."

"I prefer to be _behind _the camera."

"Well, prefer otherwise. Now come on. We have to recruit four people and we only have a short amount of time."

**Author's Note: So I had originally planned on this being longer, but it was already pretty long and that was just a great ending, so... I ended it.**

**A little personal thing: I have found the new saddest manga moment: Katsuya's death in Fruits Basket (don't worry, that's not a spoiler.) I bawled my eyes out the first time I read it, and later I saw the volume and said "Hey, it's romantic (because it is, at first), I'll read it!" So I read and read... and read... and read... and then I was crying.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**

**Update after reviewing: Oh, would you look at that... it's actually _shorter _than the other chapters... sorry about that.**


	4. Assembly: Part 4

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: The Art of Video Games Expo, yeah! **

**kittycaty0328: AGHH! NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT! Agh, I, dang it... I love all my reviewers because every time I see a new review I get super happy and I want every reviewer to know that I love them because they make my life great!**

**TheNextAlice: I really hope you didn't copyright the term "Gummy back-slap", because I'm using it.**

**.Dolum: Hey, it's me. Fabula. And yes, I do exist and I'm not some random figment of Sushi's imagination. Now on to what I came here to say. Okay, about the whole "Cody's Age" thing, it does indeed say that Cody is in second grade, which is ages 7-8, but for some reason I thought I remembered them saying something about him being ten, so we just kinda went off of my flakey memory. So yeah, sorry. I didn't think it would cause this much trouble. Sorry for the inconvenience, if I'm wrong.**

**Huh. The first time you ever hear me say anything, it's an apology. **

**SO YEAH, ART OF VIDEO GAMES EXPO. ME AND SUSHI ARE HAPPY.**

**(Sushi again) To the anonymous reviewer, I can see what you're saying. This is what this story is, though: what that scenario would be if she **_**did **_**go through with the whole Yatagarasu thing. And about Cody's age... well, read Fabula's thing. Thanks for the constructive criticism, and I'm glad that you're still looking forward to an update.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the AA series.**

Chapter 4

"You did it, didn't you?"

"I'M INNOCENT!" Ian yelled as he spun around. I, on the other hand, heard the British accent and knew I'd been caught.

"He is, Riah," I answered, turning much more calmly. "_I _stole the files, not him. How'd you know?"

"Elementary," she answered, sounding exactly like a certain British detective that I guessed was her inspiration. "You don't have any bags. All three of us, you, me, and your blushing friend here are seniors, and seniors _always _need to take stuff home and bring it back." Riah began tapping her foot, an action that I soon found she did when thinking. "My guess is that you were planning on putting the files back today, but saw the police cars and threw them in the bushes somewhere. And that fellow helped you, because he seems to be rubbing his back an awful lot, a sign that it was strained."

"You're completely right, except Ian's back hurts because he got the Gummy back-slap, not because he helped me."

"I dunno, Kay, those bags were pretty horrible, too," Ian murmured.

"I am very curious, though." Riah continued. "Why did you steal the files?" I grinned, ready to launch into the monologue I'd prepared for her and everyone else about the Yatagarasu.

"I'm forming a team, and I needed to find people," I explained. "Here's the thing; it's a team of thieves. The Yatagarasu, to be exact." Riah's eyes widened.

"Yatagarasu? As in, modern day Robin Hood? The 'Great Thief', _that _Yatagarasu?" Riah scrunched up her face. "What makes you think that you could pull it off?"

"Because my dad did," I answered.

"Your father? Hmm... Well, if you think you're as good as him, go on ahead. You're noble. I won't report you."

"Well, see, that's the thing. The original Yatagarasu had a detective on his team, and I need one too."

"Ah," Riah sighed, understanding. "I see you read my file."

"Not all of it!" I assured. "Just the part about how you are super observant and write mystery comics, therefore giving you an excuse to go into the buildings we rob and get rid of evidence!"

"Just that?" Riah laughed. "Well, why not. It would certainly be first-hand research." She began tapping her foot again. "I can see it now: a story about a traitorous detective. I'm not far in my senior project yet, so it's possible. Or I could alternate between the detective and the thief..."

"Wait, so you're in?" I asked, excited at how incredibly easy it was to recruit our very own Sherlock Holmes.

"Of course. Yes, yes, I'll get an A for sure..."

* * *

><p>"Who else is going to be on this team of yours?" Riah asked after pondering on the idea of a best-selling senior project.<p>

"Um… Reese Emmitt, Cody Hackins, and Eric Weisner."

"That chess player and the jock? Well, if you say so. Who is this Cody character?"

"A freshman actor," I explained. "If we recruit him, he'll be the guy that gathers information and such."

"A _freshman _actor?" Riah prodded, moving in the direction of the theater and therefore concluding that this freshman would be the next person we recruited. "Why not one of the older actors, like Shane Bross or Gina Botticelli?"

"Because this guy knows Miles Edgeworth, and I know Miles Edgeworth, and I believe in signs."

"Well… okay. You're the Yatagarasu. Wait, is that him?" Cody Hackins was in the auditorium, standing directly in the spotlight, and appearing to be sassing none other than the aforementioned Shane Bross, the star of every school play I've seen to date.

"Do you know what you're doing?" he yelled, his arms crossed and face totally serious. "You are tampering the very idea of theater that Thespis worked so hard to create! Do you understand me? The art of drama has persevered for longer than your small brain can ever comprehend, and now you are deciding to disgrace it with this so-called performance! Ancient Greeks spoke clearly for thousands of people that came from all around the richest parts of Greece; why can't you talk loudly for a school play? For a senior, you sure are dumb!"

"Oh yes," Riah remarked. "He's perfect."

"Cody, I'm going to have to send you to the principal's office," the drama teacher, Mr. Haestrom, ordered sternly. "Go." Cody obeyed, mercifully not slinging insults at the drama teacher as he headed our way. He did smile, however, when the drama teacher turned his attention to Shane and stated: "He's right, though; you have never been able to project at all…"

"That seemed a little harsh," Ian stated as we joined Cody's walk to the office. Cody took one look at my best friend's hat and went off on another tangent.

"That hat is a classic paperboy style from England in the 1800s and the 1900s, and yet here you are 2019 and you're wearing one. Who do you think you are? Some kind of trendsetter? You can't be a trendsetter; you're a wimp. Do you know what wimpy wannabe trendsetters are called? Hipsters. You're a hipster. Congratulations." Ian, unsurprisingly, was so taken aback that he stopped. Poor guy. I knew for a fact that he loved that hat more than most members of his family.

"Ha ha! I like you, Freshie," Riah laughed, taking off his hat and ruffling his hair.

"Hey, what are you- oh, hello," Cody chirped, eyes wide, as he reclaimed his hat (I bet that he felt the same way about his cap that Ian felt for his own.)

"Alright, listen," I began, not wanting a now smitten Cody to get distracted from the reason we came. And frankly, I didn't want Riah to start having too much fun with it (she was grinning already.) "Do you know who the Yatagarasu is?"

"The Yatagarasu? You mean the modern day Robin Hood? The Noble Thief? You mean the first ever thief to not steal valuables but instead the truth? The Yatagarasu that had three legs, and that in fact he was made up of three people, all who ended up with different fates, including death? You mean _that _Yatagarasu? I bet you didn't know all that. Geez, for an upperclassman, you sure are dumb." I froze and grabbed the little brat by his arm, pulling him up close to my face.

"That one member that died was my father, so maybe I'm not as dumb as you think."

"Oh… um… hi."

"Alright, Freshie, listen," began Riah as she put her elbow on his head, "Kay here is following in her dad's footsteps, but she needs help. She's the thief. I'm the detective person that gets rid of the evidence. Ian here's… um…"

"I'm the tech guy who hacks into stuff and stuff," Ian responded, smiling proudly. I patted his back, only to quickly remember the back slap he'd gotten earlier that day.

"Yeah. Ian's the tech guy. And we want you to be the person that gathers the information, since… what was your reason, Kay?"

"He's a good actor. And he's proven that he's good at gathering information from the Steel Samurai trial." Cody's eyes widened. "Yeah. I know. And I know Mr. Edgeworth, too."

"Ha! Mr. Edgeworth. It was fun to see him so flustered," Cody laughed.

"Mr. Edgeworth flustered?" I repeated thoughtfully. "I can't imagine him flustered. Oh, wait, he was flustered when he was tied up. Ha! You're right! It's hilarious."

"Tied up? I would've loved to see that!"

"What is going on?" Ian moaned.

"Oh, right, Yatagarasu. Anyway, yeah, you play the role of the defense. You seem to know all about the Yatagarasu, so you know what that means, right?"

"Of course I do! Sure, I'll be the Yatagarasu with you. But no bossing me around just 'cause you're older, got it?"

"No promises. You're still in, though, right?"

"Of course," Cody replied. "You couldn't do it without me, now, could you?"

"Hey," Ian observed, scratching his very small shadow of a beard, "aren't you supposed to be going to the principal's office or something?"

"Oh, what, that thing Haestrom said? The man loves me. That Bross kid has a small voice and contradicts, as that guy in the blue suit says, it with a big head. I put him in his place. Nah, I'll come with you. So, British girl, you never told me your name…"

* * *

><p>"Weisner?" Cody asked, disbelieving. "Why are we getting a musclehead like him?"<p>

"_Because_ he's a musclehead," I answered. "We need someone who can throw Ian and me over walls."

"Wait, I'm being _thrown_?" Ian sputtered. "You never told me that!"

"I found it unnecessary. An obvious occupational hazard. Yeah, that sounds good. Obvious occupational hazard."

"Crap…"

"But why him?" Cody persisted. "He's annoying. And a jerk. Paperboy here will be dead before you even present the offer."

"Hey, it's worth a shot," I offered. "Besides, if worst comes to worst, you can go on a tangent or Riah can ask him in her British accent. One of those two has to work."

"I don't know, Kay," Ian put in worriedly. "First it turns out I'm being thrown, now this… perhaps we should pass on the muscle."

"No way," I answered. "I made up my mind, and you know how I get when I make up my mind."

"Awesome," he muttered. "I'm only seventeen. I don't deserve to die."

"Don't be such a wimp, you're doing good for humanity," I barked, punching him in the shoulder to shut him up. Honestly, Ian's adorable, but such a _whiner._

"There he is," Riah said, pointing to the tall, dark, and totally gorgeous frame of Eric Weisner. "Oh my… Yes, he'd be quite an asset, I agree…"

"No," Ian and Cody stated at the same time.

"Yes," I replied, grinning. Riah was the only non-reluctant follower as we approached. Eric was waving goodbye to his friends when we arrived. He looked us over, and we did the same to him. Well, Riah and I did.

"Well?" he asked, irritated. "Are you gonna get out of my way?"

"We're leaving," Ian said, grabbing my arm.

"No! We have to ask him."

"That's right, AV nerd," Eric laughed. "Leave the pretty lady alone." The only thing that kept me from swooning was my father's face, beckoning me to carry on his legacy.

"Listen, I have an offer," I stated, trying to sound business-like and ultimately sounding more like a girl at a sleepover. "Do you know the Yatagarasu?"

"I can't even pronounce it, Raven," he answered, eying my Yatagarasu pin.

"Hey!" Cody protested. "He's giving people nicknames! I was gonna do that!"

"Well too late, geek!" Eric barked angrily.

"Geek? Is that the best you can do? You were able to come up with what I grudgingly admit is a suitable nickname for Miss Faraday, which you obviously derived from the Yatagarasu, not raven, pin on her scarf, and all you can think of for me is _geek_? Your imaginary powers of observation haven't even taken into account that I'm short and therefore your underclassman, which did not escape the eyes of the lovely Miss Blake, who has been referring to me as 'Freshie' since the first time she acknowledged me." Even the popular, arrogant Eric was, unsurprisingly, taken aback by Cody's tangent.

"What's the matter with this kid?" he exclaimed.

"Ignore him. He does that to everyone. Anyway, the Yatagarasu is basically an awesome thief that steals information, it's us, and we want you to help us." Eric scanned us again, and then burst out laughing.

"_You_? You guys are going to be this Yagatarasu, some bad-"

"Actually, it's 'Yatagarasu'," I corrected.

"But… you guys? That's rich! You couldn't steal that freshie's lunch money!" Eric stated, bending over from laughter.

"Do you remember those police cars form this morning?" I prodded angrily. "They were here because every paper student file was stolen, and the deed was done by me." I crossed my arms and turned my back on this jerk, no longer caring how chiseled his features were. "You weren't my first choice anyway. I was going to pick Jason Long." Well, _that _did something. That arrogant smile was wiped off his face, replaced with an expression of determination and anger.

"I'll do it," he claimed.

"Listen, whatever, just don't- wait, what?"

"You thought this team would be awesome before?" he replied, his smile back again. Somehow, though, it seemed less annoying and more honest, like this is what his smiles usually looked like. Not to mention it was a whole lot more attractive. "It's nothing compared to what it is now that I'm on it."

"Yay! Thanks, Eric, you'll be helping a lot of people."

"I don't like this," Ian murmured.

"Quiet, Paperboy, I'm not so bad."

"H-he called him Paperboy!" Cody stuttered to Riah. "I already called him that!"

"Sorry, freshman, it's mine now. Hey, is that a _Steel Samurai_ hat? I loved that show. Don't tell Jason. But okay, you can be Katana, like the one the Steel Samurai carries around." Cody stopped shaking and eyed Eric with a new look in his eyes.

"Know what, Weisner? Kay's right. A musclehead's always good to have around.

* * *

><p>"The last person we need to recruit is Reese Emmitt," I explained. "She's a chess player; I'll leave strategizing to her."<p>

"Reese Emmitt?" Riah thought aloud. "I know her. I was friends with her in middle school. She's very rational, Kay. Unless you know something we don't, I doubt we'll be able to recruit her."

"No blackmail," I stated firmly. "No blackmail, even if I did know something."

"Relax, Darjeeling," Eric, who had decided to join us, soothed. "Trust Raven. She's got everything under control." She was where I'd thought she'd be: the library. Not only was it filled with books, but with chess boards as well. She was deeply engaged in a battle with the current valedictorian, Frederick Yettinger, and the odds did not appear to be in her favor.

"Ha!" Cody laughed. "She's so screwed!"

"Don't be so negative, Freshie," Riah ordered, elbowing him. "This is the girl that has a real shot at going to the national level in some important chess tournament." Indeed, after a minute of scanning the board, Reese moved her knight, knocking out Frederick's rook. Now, he had to move the king, leaving the queen completely exposed. The game was over very quickly.

"Reese!" Riah yelled, waving and beckoning her old friend towards us. Reese looked unsure of what was going on, but continued our way anyway.

"Um… hi, Riah," she greeted, sounding much more shy than I would have thought from her confident looks.

"'ello, Reese, long time no see. Now Kay has something to ask you." Irritated that everyone was now staring at me expectantly, I decided to give it to her straight.

"Hi. I'm Kay Faraday. I want you to help me rob a business building by making up awesome chess player strategies so we can expose corrupt businesses. And stuff." Reese stared at me, her teal eyes not showing much emotion. "Oh yeah. And all these guys are on board. All we need is you." Another minute of awkwardness in what was already the most awkward room in the school, and finally she decides to speak.

"Wait, are you serious? Then, no! No, of course not! It's sneaky and illegal and bad and-"

"Let me handle this, Raven," Eric interrupted, placing his hand on my head and gently pushing me aside. "No freshman tangents or British accents will be necessary today." Eric waltzed up to Reese, who was now blushing furiously. Leaning against the wall and flashing his mischievous smile from earlier, I wondered why people liked Jason more than him.

"So Kay only wants you because you're a chess player, huh?" he asked, looking at Reese out of the corner of his eye.

"Well… that's what she said-"

"Oh, no worries then, Raven," he called to me. "See, I'm a whiz at checkers, and how different can they be?" All of the sudden, Reese Emmitt became a different person. She grew even redder than before, and all enchantment with Eric was now gone.

"Yep," he continued, now moving away. "She originally recruited me to be the stupid muscle, but I can be the strategy guy too, I guess."

"Wait!" Reese exclaimed, running past him and up to me. Eric winked. "Fine. I'll help you. But only so you don't have someone with about as much capability of strategy as a drunken mouse telling you what to do and where to go."

"Hey, I'm hurt, Checkers," Eric continued dramatically. "Do you know how much strategy it takes to tackle the crap out of someone on the football field?"

"Oh yes," Reese said, her lips pursed. "I'll definitely help you."

"Football actually involves more strategy than I'm giving credit for," Eric winked as he ruffled my hair. "But I'm not involved in that part of it."

"So what about it, Kay?" Cody asked, crossing his arms. "What building are we gonna rob? Is it a computer company? Pencil factory? What?" Once again, everyone was staring at me expectantly. Dang it, I hate it when they do that! And the worst part? I didn't know.

"Uh… Well, you see, I haven't gotten that far yet," I explained sheepishly, scratching the back of my already ruffled head.

"Wait… so you mean that you went to all this trouble and didn't even have a target?" Eric asked suspiciously, sounding rather disappointed as well.

"Well… yeah." A shout of protests rang up from all the new members of the group, and even Ian looked disappointed in me. It wasn't until the librarian angrily shushed us that the sound of everyone's annoyance and disappointment stop echoing throughout the room. It didn't stop ringing through my head, though.

"Well, call me when you find a target." Everyone turned to the only person that seemed okay with my unpreparedness. Riah. "What? The poor girl already stole those files. It's not like she needed _another _robbery just to prove herself."

"Yeah, what she said," I agreed, happy not to have five people being simultaneously disappointed in me.

"Yeah, she's right," Ian said a bit too loudly, obviously trying to break the awkward silence.

"Alright, Raven," Eric teased, ruffling my hair for the third time. "I expect a call saying that we're jacking Google's headquarters within the next week, got it?"

"Got it," I replied, pushing his beefy hand away.

"Hey, Kay, have you gotten rid of those records yet?" Cody asked excitedly.

"No, they're just sitting out in the bushes. I'm probably lucky I haven't gotten arrested yet."

"Well, I know how to pick the lock to the furnace room. Let's burn 'em!"

"That's not a bad idea, you little criminal," I complimented. "Alright, Ian, I have to ask you to break your back a bit more today."

"Seriously?"

"Don't worry about it, Paperboy," Eric consoled. "Show me these files, Raven. Google will have to wait."

* * *

><p>The next day, after the Yatagarasu's first robbery was a success and no evidence was left behind (I'd helped Mr. Edgeworth too much to not know how to get all the papers burned), Ian approached me. He was not his adorable self. His face was red, and it certainly was not from blushing.<p>

"What's up, man?" I asked, genuinely concerned. "You look like a blue-eyed tomato."

"I've got our first target," he whispered.

**Author's Note: Yay long chapters! Sorry to make the jump from 1,000 words to 3,000, but that's just how it turned out. **

**Thanks for reading and please review!**

**(P.S. Here's a little hint about what their target is: his mother's name is Nia Cain.)**


	5. Pilot: Part 1

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Sorry that this took awhile. I've had the worst writer's block and eventually had to pull the I-don't-know-what-to-do-so-I'll-take-something-that-was-meant-for-later-but-I'll-use-it-now card. And if you understood that, give yourself a pat on the back.**

**TheNextAlice: Um... no. Good guess though. And, actually, Eric was not originally that incredibly suave. He was meant to be a jerkface and arrogant and such but while I typed, that's what came out. Oh, and congratulations, SkullChicka hates giving up her rights to dominate my reviews.**

**SkullChicka: Thanks, America, it only took 2 FREAKING WEEKS. And Fabula says to stay away from Cody. (She read it right after I told her there was a British comic book artist. Correspondance?)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own AA. I do, however, own almost every character in this chapter.**

Chapter 5

There are times when my resident nerd was not within grabbing distance, and it was at these times that my active imagination supplied two plausible participants to assist me in my technological woes: Bill Gates and Nia Cain. And even in that small amount of time until I realize that no, the man who invented the Internet (he _did _invent the Internet, right?) is _not _at my disposal, my choice stands: Nia Cain.

One look at the mother and son will tell you that almost no genes from Ian's black-haired, brown-eyed plumber father were contributed in his creation. Age her slightly and make her male and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. They are exactly the same, right down to the last freckle, or blush, or computer they hack into. The only difference is that she is much, much better.

That's why I was so surprised when I heard she was fired.

"At least, according to you, she was to good for that job," I comforted as Ian and I searched for the rest of the team.

"She is!" he insisted. "I've met her boss, Lisa Basil. She may look the part, but Mom knows more about computers than her in her pajamas."

"What company does your Mom work for?" I questioned, discouraged by someone that I thought was Reese but not.

"Blue Screens Inc.," he answered.

"Why do you suspect that this Lisa Basil is hiding something and that's why she fired your mother?"

"Well, number one, she's my mother. And number two, Mom had been complaining about work for a while. Always saying that she was afraid of some sort of scandal, ever since one of their employees was murdered after trying to sell off a virus or something. And now this? There's something up, Kay. Trust me on this."

"Hey! Eric!" Fortunatley, this was our resident musclehead. He turned around and flashed a smile from where he was.

"Hey, Raven, got news on Google?"

"Not Google, but the next best thing. Help us find everyone and meet us in the reference section of the library in ten minutes!" Eric gave a mock salute and disappeared into the crowd.

"Why the reference section?" Ian prodded.

"Because, silly, _no one goes there_."

"Oh, good point. Let's find the others." However, after about eight minutes of searching, our efforts were fruitless.

"Screw this," I barked, irritated. "We can debrief Eric and Facebook everyone else."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe that we looked for ten minutes and were only able to find Er- wait what the crap?" Waiting in the dusty reference for us was none other than the newly recruited Yatagarasu, waiting patiently and sneezing a little bit along the way.<p>

"Paperboy, Raven, I'm disappointed," Eric reprimanded. "You said ten minutes and it's been twelve."

"That's because we were looking for you people," I laughed. "Eric, you jerk, how'd you find everyone?"

"I've got my ways, Raven. Now, I believe you said we have a target?"

"Oh, right, briefings! Okay, first off, the Yatagarasu! Riah, how fast can you draw?"

"I'm currently working on the fastest drawing of a comic book strip for the Guiness Book of Junior World Records!"

"Okay, draw what I'm saying to make this seem like a fancy presen- wait, really?"

"No ma'am, but I can draw bloody fast!" Our British friend pulled a sketchbook out of nowhere and a pencil from her tousled ashy hair.

"Okay! Now, I'm sure you know what the Yatagarasu is- I'd be ashamed if you didn't look up what thief you were going to be- but here's it in a nutshell. Ready Riah? Good. Okay, so unlike other thieves, the Yatagarasu has one, broad target: the truth. They find evidence of corruption within a business, steal it, and reveal it to the world. Yes, as demostrated by Riah's drawing of a guy wearing an awesome headpiece stealing some papers and then a picture of him looking B.A. on the cover of the newspaper.

"Now there are three legs of the Yatagarasu. First: they always know exactly where the evidence is. This was because the original Yatagarasu, which was made up of three people, had a defense attorney and this kind of stuff is easy for them to access. Yes, that's her- holy crap, Riah, that's scary! I've seen the woman put on makeup and it looks _just like that_!"

"Thank you, captain."

"Anyway, we're going to send Cody in to the company buildings and he'll work his acting magic and get us information. Can you do that, Cody?"

"Why'd you hire me if you doubt me, Kay?"

"I'm not paying you. You all get that, right? I'm not paying you here, this is doing a public service. Got it? Good. Okay, second leg: they always knew exactly how to get the evidence. This means the initial thief was a prosecutor, my dad. After prosecuting criminals for so long, he knew the tricks of the trade and was able to apply that to the robbery. Now I'm no prosecutor, but Dad recorded all of his best tricks and I've memorized them, so you have nothing to worry about. Hey Riah, can you make me look a bit more awesome? Yeah, there we go. I wonder if there will be photographers around to capture it if I do that..."

"Anyway, the last leg is that Yatagarasu doesn't leave so much as a shred of evidence. Condsidering that this is impossible, Calisto Yew and my dad enlisted the help of the very detective on the case, Tyrell Badd. He was able to rid the place of all the evidence Dad accidentally left behind. Unfortunately, we don't have that kind of convenient help at our disposal, but luckily Riah is like a female Sherlock Holmes with an excuse to enter random business buildings and snoop, so- hey, whoa whoa whoa. I'm sorry, Riah, you're beautiful the way you are, you don't need to draw yourself differently."

"Nothing wrong with dreaming, Kay."

"Won't contradict you there. Alright, believe it or not, I got this target from Ian. He came up to me this morning looking like a cherry."

"Ah, Paperboy was blushing when he went up to Kay."

"No, dude, he was genuinley angry. It was pretty amusing, actually."

"Kay..."

"Sorry buddy. Anyway, his mother, Nia Cain, was V.P. for a computer company and got fired last night, conveniently. This wouldn't be unnatural except for the fact that it's IAN'S MOM. And she's, like, insane when it comes to computers. Add on that some employee- what was his name, Ian?"

"Glen Elg."

"Wow. Poor guy. Anyway, this Elg character was about to give some loan shark a million dollar computer thingy, and he died in the end. The matter was settled, but according to Mrs. Cain, this wasn't the first time the company got whiff of a scandal. And now she's been fired. So all we've gotta do is find evidence that Lisa Basil became corrupt with all her gambling-obsessed employees and million-dollar viruses, steal it, and we're good to go." Everyone just stared at me for a moment (you know, that way that I hate), and then Reese muttered:

"Yeah. Easy."

"So what do I do first, Kay?" Cody asked excitedly. Everyone looked at me once more, in the exact same way. As for me, there was a giant question mark over my head as to what to say.

"Well... um..." Everyone continued to stare. "Dang it, you're doing this is the second time since I recruited you people that you stare at me and I don't know what to say!"

"What do you mean?" Reese prodded. "You don't know what to send Cody to do?"

"Well, the defense in the original was an _actual _defense attorney, so she kind of got all the info they needed handed to her on a silver platter. Us, on the other hand, have to fight for it. That's the part that I haven't gotten to yet."

"So what do we do now, Raven?" Eric questioned, sounding extremely irritated, like the first time we talked. I really didn't want to tell him that I had no idea, but it was the truth. I wasn't a thief yet. And I didn't know one-

That's when my memory flashed back to the former Cohdopian embassy. A fat faker. A fat faker of a very real, very legendary thief. A thief that, no matter how hard the court system could try to put him behind bars, it would never be done, since they had tried already.

"Who wants to visit Mask Demasque?"

**Author's Note: Because we all knew that behind that stupid computer monocle, Lisa Basil was evil.**

**Okay, luckily I have the entire next chapter in my head, so it should be up soon enough.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**

**Update after publishing: So I tried to insert the star into Mask Demasque's name, but Fanfiction won't take it. Sorry.**


	6. Pilot: Part 2

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Thank you very much, kitty0328! As they say in ****Psych****: "And so, unlike your hair, the plot continues to thicken."**

**TheNextAlice: Yes, you have left a legacy, and I love it. Let the awe-inspiring music play on!And yes, Riah is pretty awesome, isn't she? :)**

**(Oh, and P.S., I'm writing this instead of watching **_**Soul Eater**_**. Feel loved.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the AA series.**

Chapter 6

"I call shotgun."

"No, I call shotgun!"

"Freshie, you can't have shotgun, you're younger than all of us!" So was the argument that raged on as an already irritated Eric (he had to miss football practice in order to drive us all to the Mask Demasque Consulting Firm in his big truck) stood by, tapping his foot. There were multiple chess references, "OBJECTION!"'s, and angry British phrases thrown into the argument, along with one or two rants from Cody. Finally, he shouted:

"Alright, who wants shotgun?" Reese, Riah, Cody, and I all raised our hands. Ian had wanted it, too, but he backed down almost immediately when the competition heated up. "Katana, put your hand down, you're not getting it." Cody sheepishly lowered his hand, and Eric examined the remaining candidates. "Well, look at that, three pretty girls competing for the spot next to me."

"Keep the charms, Eric, this is serious business," I snapped.

"It's who gets to ride shotgun in a van that usually holds sweaty football players," Ian muttered.

"While Paperboy has a magnificent point, I think Raven should get the place of honor," Eric declared, moving around to the other side. "After all, this _was _her idea." I triumphantly jumped into the passenger seat, leaving a grumbling Riah behind me. I very soon discovered that she was definitely the competitive type.

"Wait, so let me get something straight," Ian, who was sitting in the very back with an annoyed Cody (a lethal position), began. "This guy is a proven master thief, and so when he retired, he started a _consulting firm_?"

"Yep," I chirped.

"But... won't he get arrested or something?"

"No, silly," I responded with a laugh. "He's got double jeopardy on his side." The car remained silent.

"What the crap is that?" Eric asked as he navigated our school's parking lot (luckily, our argument delayed the ride long enough that the rush was over by the time we all got settled.)

"It means that he's been proven innocent of being Mask Demasque once, so he can't be tried for any crime Mask Demasque commits."

"How'd that happen?" Reese asked.

"Basically, he pleaded guilty to be Mask Demasque once, and got tried for it. He was proven innocent, only to immediately afterwards be arrested for murder. See, he pleaded guilty to being Mask Ddemasque because it gave him an alibi to this murder, which he knew would be pinned on him. But he was proven innocent of that, too, and now he can flaunt the fact that he's Mask Demasque all he wants. He can even steal more stuff if he wanted to, as long as he did it as Mask Demasque. He can never be tried for it." Everyone was silent for a moment, pondering this interesting piece of information I had just supplied.

"Hey Kay," Cody chimed from the back, "can we get double jeopardy?"

"Probably not, dude, but it would certainly be nice, wouldn't it? Oh, Eric, we missed a turn. Sorry, got caught up in telling the story of the luckiest thief of all time."

* * *

><p>"This is it."<p>

"No it's not."

"I've got the address right here, Eric. This is the firm."

"It's a freaking cookie cutter house in the suburbs," he argued as he pulled in.

"I never said the firm wasn't at their house," I countered.

"If he stole all that stuff," Reese questioned, "why aren't they in a mansion or something?"

"I don't know," I answered as I rang the doorbell (an average, round doorbell), "but you can ask when we get in there." After waiting a few moments, the door was opened by a woman that caused every boy in our group's jaws to drop. She had long, light brown hair, kind brown eyes, and a tight red jumpsuit that was zipped a little low.

"Are you Desiree DeLite?" I asked.

"That's me!" she answered cheerfully. "What do you need?"

"We were wondering if we could discuss some... business with you," I explained. "This is the Mask Demasque Consulting Firm, right?"

"It was," Desiree replied, eyeing the hallway near the door. "Unfortunately, we had to close it. We needed more income suddenly, and lets just say that criminals don't pay well until after they've stolen something."

"What? It's closed?" I exclaimed. "But... but we really need to talk! What could've possibly made you close it?"

"I think I know," observant Riah sneered, staring at some crayon marks on the wall.

"AUNT DESSIE! AUNT DESSIE!" A little boy that looked about seven with dark hair and eyes burst in from the hallway. "Aunty, we need you!"

"AUNTY, AUNTY, ANDWEW SET THE MICWOWAVE ON FIWE!" Another small child, this one looking like a 4-year-old girl with red curls that went down to her ankles, followed what appeared to be her brother and bumped into him.

"I put a spoon in my hot chocolate when I heated it up!" the little boy, Andrew (Andwew?), continued. "Uncle Ronnie's freaking out!"

"UNCLE WONNIE LIKE AHHHHH!" the little girl quoted.

"Oh no, not again," she murmured. Turning to us as she ran towards the children, she continued: "You can come in, but this isn't exactly the DeLites at their best." Still, we crammed through the doorway and followed the three of them into the kitchen. A man with girly red hair was cowering as his microwave was being devoured by flames.

"DON'T WORRY, RONNIE, I'LL PROTECT YOU!" Desiree scooped up a fire extinguisher and, stepping in between him and the fire, sprayed the thing back in time. When the fire was completely out and the room was completely white, she muttered: "I might have overdone it a bit..." Suddenly, I felt a light tug on my skirt. I looked down and saw the little girl from earlier.

"Who awe you?" she asked.

"Hello," I greeted happily. I liked little kids. "My name is Kay. And this is Ian, Cody, Eric, Riah, and Reese." Her eyes, which were following my finger as it pointed to everyone, fell on Reese.

"You'we weally pwetty," she said, putting her thumb in her mouth.

"Oh, um, thank you," Reese said quietly, moving uncomfortably towards the guys. Obviously, she did not share my feelings towards children.

"Children," Riah sneered, as if speaking about the devil himself. "Snivelly, disgusting little things, always needing their diapers changed or their noses wiped." The little girl, who had heard every word, simply stared at Riah for a moment. Then, she laughed and clapped.

"You'we voice is funny!" she smiled.

"Arielle, are you being rude to our guests?" Desiree questioned as she scooped her niece into her arms.

"Yes," Riah stated.

"Not at all," I stated even louder.

"What do you need?" Ron asked, now at Desiree's side. Andrew and Arielle rushed to his side and grabbed his pants.

"They're here for the firm," Desiree answered quietly.

"Oh, the firm? I'm sorry, we had to close that when my brother went to Africa and left Andrew and Arielle with us," he confirmed, his voice gradually decrescendo-ing. "He's so unpredictable, sometimes I wonder if he'll come back..."

"Anyway, we don't consult anymore," Desiree concluded. "We might not have taken you, though. So young; I'd hate to see you get involved in crime." I couldn't believe it. First they turned us away because the firm was no longer in existence, and then we find out they would'e turned us away anyway! I decided to pull out the big guns: my name.

"My name is Kay Faraday, and my father was Byrne Faraday," I stated. "We're carrying on his legacy as the Yatagarasu."

"The Yatagarasu?" the two said at the same time (although Desiree's exclamation was much louder than Ron's murmur.)

"Yep," I answered. Desiree and Ron looked at each other, contemplating helping us. Any thief that was _any _thief knew who the Yatagarasu was, and I had a hard time believing that these two good people/fellow thieves wouldn't help.

"Uncle Ronnie?" Everyone looked down at little Andrew, who was tugging on Ron's pants. "What's the Yagaratsu?"

"Andrew, can you and your sister help Uncle Ronnie and I by cleaning up the mess in the kitchen?" Desiree asked. I took it as a yes to our plea.

"Okay!" Ron and Desiree began to lead us towards the basement, but looking back we could all clearly see Arielle and Andrew jumping and playing in the foam as if it were snow.

"I can see how she'd be a thief," Ian told me as we walked down the stairs.

"Oh, she's not Mask Demasque," I informed. Everyone stopped. "Ron is."

"What?" they all asked in various forms. I nodded.

"Now you can see why no one suspected him."

"Welcome to the Mask Demasque's infamous headquarters!" Desiree exclaimed. It was extraordinary. There was Mask Demasque trinkets everywhere, from calling cards to hot air balloons with his formerly top-secret logo. There were also a lot of books, with titles like "How to Make a Thief's Calling Card" or "Dramatic Exits for Dummies".

"Hey Kay!" Reese was standing next to a glass cylinder with Mask Demasque's actual costume. "Are you going to where something like this?"

"Please do, that'd be so cool!" Cody begged pressing his face up against the glass.

"Don't get your breath on it, Freshie!" Riah reprimanded. Cody backed off, and Riah took his place. "Look at it! Just seeing the detail fills my head with ideas! The European detail with the slight Japanese touch from the sack... I must ask, who designed it?"

"Well... I did," Ron answered. He poked around a pile of books and pulled out another one: "Costumes for the Flashy Thief".

"Bloody heck, can I borrow this?" she asked, snatching it from his hands.

"Um, okay," he replied.

"Hey, weren't there only three people in the Yatagarasu?" Desiree asked.

"Yes, but unfortunately, we don't have some of the luxuries they did as members of the justice system," I replied. "Like I said, I'm Kay Faraday. I'll be doing the actual stealing. This is my best friend Ian Cain, who will be the tech guy. It's thanks to him that we have a target." Ian was looking at multiple gadgets that were on display.

"This stuff's awesome," he said to Ron. "Did you make it all?"

"Almost all," Ron replied. Once again, he walked over to the pile and removed a book: "Gadgets for the Common Thief".

"Can I borrow that?"

"Okay, but I'm afraid my lair is becoming a library..."

"Oh, nonsense, you can borrow all the books you need! Anyway, finish introducing your friends, Kay."

"Oh, okay. That's Reese Emmitt. She's a genius chess player, and she'll help plan the robbery and help us during it if need be."

"Hello," she greeted. While everyone else was poking around the lair, she simply stood by the stairwell.

"The kid that's throwing books everywhere-"

"Am not! Throwing requires the action of taking something and hurling it to another location!"

"One of them is on the other side of the room, man. Anyway, that's Cody Hackins, and he's an actor. He's in charge of getting the information out of people so we know where the evidence is."

"Really?" Desiree prodded. "He seems younger than the rest of you."

"Hey!" Cody exclaimed as he threw another book that he wasn't interested in. "Just because you're grown up doesn't mean you can push me around!"

"I see it, Dessie," Ron told her.

"Yes, I do too. Continue."

"That's Riah Blake, who is our resident Sherlock Holmes. As did Detective Badd of the original Yatagarasu, she's getting rid of any evidence I leave behind. Luckily for us, her senior project involves going to a lot of different places, including business buildings."

"'Ello," Riah chirped. She was looking at newspaper clippings on one wall. "This is really something! I might use cases like this for my next comic! Yes... I can see it now... A thief being acquitted of robbery, only to turn around and be accused of murder..."

"She's a comic book writer/artist," I explained. "And finally, that's Eric Weisner. He's there to throw us over walls and stuff. Or tackle people. I don't know."

"I'm _tackling_ people now?" Eric asked. "Sweet."

"Sure, that'd be cool," I replied. "Except, we aren't really supposed to leave evidence..."

"I can stealth-tackle."

"Oh, okay!"

"What are you stealing?" Ron asked. "I understand that the original Yatagarasu stole information. Like, evidence of corrupt businesses. Quite the noble thief, really..."

"Yes, sir," I answered, acknowledging the famous thief with respect. "See, Ian's mom recently got fired from her job at Blue Screens Inc. Which doesn't make sense, because Ian's mom is insane when it comes to computers. And then there was the whole murder in the company thing, and nearly selling a virus or something... let's just say, something's not right, and we want to find out what and send it to the most popular newspaper so they can show it to the world on their front page."

"How'd you find things out, Ronnie?" Desiree questioned.

"Well, I was a security guard and therefore got most of the information with the job. But for what I didn't know from the start, I often had to get out of my superiors."

"Cody," Desiree called.

"Huh what?" He had been immersed in a comic about a vigilante thief that was near the bottom of the pile of books.

"It's you that's getting the information, right?"

"What? Oh, yeah."

"What are all of you even doing?" I demanded. I was alone on the couch that was meant for common thieves. Cody was immersed in the comics, and Ian was disassembling the gadgets. Reese was still leaning against the wall (though I could tell she was itching to look at some of the stuff), Eric was looking at some Mask Demasque merchandise that was shoved into a corner, and Riah was furiously writing stuff down from the newspaper clippings. "Okay, I'm the only one taking this seriously. What should Cody do?"

"What I did," Ron replied. "He has to talk to the superiors of what ever company it is. Unfortunately, I don't know how."

"Don't talk to whoever's in charge," Desiree instructed. "If it were politics, don't talk to the president. Talk to the secretary of state, vice president if you can't do that."

"Steven Evets." Everyone turned to Ian, who was in the middle of taking apart what looked like a pen.

"Huh?"

"That's the guy that took my mom's job. Don't know why, he'd rather talk than work."

"That's good, that's good!" Desiree explained. "If he likes to talk, then it won't be hard to get him to tell you the weaknesses and such!"

"Cool!" I exclaimed. "But how do we get him in?" Ron and Desiree were silent, as if waiting for the other to answer.

"I don't know," they said at the same time.

"Find something out about the company that would make them want to invite a 13-year-old in," Ron instructed.

"Hey!" Cody yelled. "I'm fourteen!"

"Same difference. Anyway, depending on the company and who you're trying to talk to, there are varying degrees of difficul-"

"AUNT DESSIE! AUNT WONNIE! I CAN'T FIND ANDWEW!"

"Oh no," Ron murmured. He and Desiree began to run upstairs, but as they did, Desiree called down:

"Take all the books you need! I think you can do the rest on your own!"

**Author's Note: Yay long chapters, they take me more than one day to write. And yay Indiana Jones 4 for distracting me so I couldn't finish. **

**Now review, or I'll take your soul! (Yes, I just did that.)**


	7. Pilot: Part 3

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: So there's finally another Yatagarasu story! It's called ****Like My Father Before Me****, and it's almost finished but it's really good!**

**Alice: Fabula hates bananas and Riah isn't to fond of kids herself. We all have things we just don't like. And yes. Soul Eater is great. **

**America! You actually **_**are **_**reading this! I actually doubted you were for a while, but after this and the 'Double Jeopardy' head turn in SS... I believe you :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the AA series.**

Chapter 7

"Riah is a child-hater." The words came from an amused Cody, who was thankfully sitting in the back, out of her reach.

"I do not hate children."

"It sure didn't seem that way, Soho," Eric remarked.

"I. Do. Not. Hate. Children. And I thought I was Darjeeling."

"You were, but it really wasn't sticking for me. Seriously, though, you called Arielle snivelling and disgusting to her face. What's up?"

"Okay, yes, that was something a child-hater would say," Riah agreed. "However, I am not one. I just... don't aprreciate whatever other people see in them anymore. I had this babysitting job back in Paddington. There were three kids who wouldn't stop crying, and pasty shirtless guys playing corrupting music, and a drunk tennis player that kept waking up the baby... ugh, it was a bloody nightmare. Ever since then, I just... don't like being around children." There was a moment of silence before Cody, once again, opened his smart mouth.

"Riah is a child-hater."

"Shut up, Freshie!"

"This is my house, Eric," Reese piped up, obviously wanting to leave. Eric braked and Reese began to unbuckle.

"Hey, Reese, I noticed you were the only not doing anything while we were at the firm," I commented. "Did nothing really interest you?" Reese paused, as if debating what to say.

"I saw some things, but I didn't look at them. I didn't want to get in anyone's way." After that, she scurried out of the car up the long driveway.

"She certainly has mellowed with age," Riah observed. "She used to be a lot more... passionate, you might say."

"Yeah," Cody sneered. "She's mellowed to the point where she has no personality."

"Cody. Don't be a jerkface," I ordered.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry." All of us _did _ponder over Reese's personality (or lack of it) for a moment, but then I recalled our actual purpose.

"So, Ian, you know this Evets guy?"

"What? Oh, yeah. He talks a lot. And gets angry easily. He gets all red when you interrupt him, like he'll pop any-"

"THAT'S PERFECT!" My exclamation was so startling that Eric swerved, and the other occupants looked as if my cries were enough to blow them out the window.

"What the crap was that, Raven?" Eric demanded as he centered himself.

"Sorry, but... he talks too much and he gets irritated easily? All Cody will have to do is insult his hair and we're set!"

"Actually, I've seen his hair, and it's pretty awesome..." Ian recalled. This time, we all mused over Steven Evets' supposedly awesome hair, before I once again put us back on track.

"Oh well. I'm sure Cody will find plenty of tangent-material flaws. Right, Cody?"

"Can I find a flaw? Can I find a _flaw_? I am the great Cody Hackins, best actor in the freshman class, who snuck onto the _Steel Samurai_ set at 10, not to mention flustered the great Miles Edgeworth. My smart-aleck personality and persnickety-ness are heard of and feared in the United Arab Emirates- don't ask- and you just asked me if I could find a stupid _flaw_?"

"Glad to know you can. Now it's just a matter of getting in- oh, Eric, can you drop me off here? It's not my house, but my mom would freak out if she knew a guy I met yesterday was driving my home. I'll tell her I was caught up in shoes in a window or something."

"Sure. See ya, Raven." Multiple forms of bye were sent my way as I got out of Eric's large green van and began a fairly short walk home. I had to make sure I told Mom about the other members of the Yatagarasu today so she wouldn't be suspicious in the future.

"Mom! I'm home!" My mother trampled everything in her path in order to get to me and ask me if I was alright.

"Kay! What have you been doing, you should've been home almost two hours ago!"

"Sorry Mom, I..." Now I had to improvise an entire story on how I met four completely different people, one being a freshman. "Well, you see, I met this girl named Riah yesterday. We talked a bit, and she seemed pretty cool, so Ian and I decided to look for her after school. We found her near the principal's office, where she was upset because her friend's little brother, Cody, was in trouble for stealing a book or something. But she didn't think he did it, so she wanted to go to where it took place- the library.

"There, we saw this chess player chick named Reese, and we told her what was going on. She said that she'd been in the library all day, and she'd only seen a few people, and the defendant- I mean Cody- was one of them. She also had seen all of the comotion afterwards, so she took us to the crime sc- bookshelf. Riah looked around while asking Reese if she remembered where he had been. She told us that she hadn't been paying much attention, but she didn't think he went this way. Then Riah had a lightbulb moment and yelled 'Who wants to play lawyer?'

"I, like, immediately raised my hand of course, and Riah began writing stuff really fast on a sketchpad she pulled out of nowhere. She thrust it in my face and said 'Court record. You'd better read it.' So then all of us, including Reese, headed to the principal's office where she burst in and yelled 'OBJECTION!' and told me to prove his innocence. So I went up and presented all the evidence to Mr. Mable: 1) Cody's fingers were smeared with ink. There was no ink on any of the other books, but there was some in the comic book section. 2) The book taken was a pretty old and- though not very many people knew it- valuable copy of Little Women. Why would a freshman boy pick up Little Women, when he obviously had other tastes? And 3) Reese didn't think he'd gone that way. She did, however, recalling him looking at graphic novels after I brought it up.

"Mr. Mable was pretty impressed by my arguments, and said that he thought I would make a very good lawyer if I tried. He also told us, however, that Cody would have to stay in custody- I mean his his office- until the book was actually found. At this point, I pointed out that, if the book wasn't on him, there really was no reason to be accusing him, which the principal counteracted with the fact that the librarian thought she saw him carry a book like it out without checking it out, even after she called out to him. At this, we all looked at Cody hopelessly. He said that that had been a book belonging to him, but he'd given it to a friend of his and therefore couldn't prove it. He then claimed that he walked through that section without touching anything, and that he went for the graphic novels to see if they'd gotten any new ones. He had moved them around a bit to keep them in order, and that's why there was ink. Unfortunately, it seemed like the case was lost anyway, until a football player named Eric Weisner burst into the court- I mean office- with the ultimate piece of evidence- the book itself!

"He told us that he saw a friend of his on the football team reading it out loud in a snobby British accent- which made Riah mad, because she's British- to the other members of the team. He had heard that a copy of Little Women was stolen and, knowing that his friend didn't even know _how _to check out a book, deduced that this was the copy. He took it and brought it back as quickly as he could. After telling Mr. Mable the real thief's name and such, then we all left and he told us that he'd seen us working and was impressed. He invited us to go eat ice cream, and we did, and then he drove us all home and we're all buds now. So that's why I was late, okay?"

"Huh what?" my mother asked groggily as she snapped back into reality.

"Mom? Did you listen to a word I just said?"

"I'm sorry, honey, I kind of zoned out after you said that you and Ian were going to find that girl- Regina? What was it again?"

"Ugh! Okay, I met these people named _Riah_, Cody, Reese, and Eric and together we got a freshman- Cody- acquitted of theft and then we ate ice cream! That's why I'm late."

"Oh, well that sounds fun! Maybe you can tell me over dinner.

"Nah. You'll probably just zone out again." But, to be honest, I'd already forgotten most of the story anyway.

* * *

><p>It turned out that I'd left my Physics homework in the reference section yesterday, and in a desperate attempt to finish it by second period, I burst into the library and dashed towards the encyclopedias. And there, sitting all alone while playing with a Steel Samurai action figure, was Cody.<p>

"Cody?" I asked as I searched under the table. "What are you doing here?"

"Aha!" Cody exclaimed, prompting many glances towards the reference section. "You're late, Kay! You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago!"I gave him a questioning look as I gathered up my papers.

"What I really should be doing is finishing this late homework. I have no commitments here."

"Wait, wha- ah, come on!"

"Riah?"

"And Eric! They both told me- seperatley- that you and I were supposed to meet everyday until I actually visited Blue Screens!" He glared at me, as if he expected me to eventually say this, too. "Just 'cause you're upprclassmen doesn't mean you can push me around, you hear that?"

"I know, I know, I'll talk to Eric and Riah later," I promised. Then I looked at a defeated-looking Cody, and then at my homework, and I decided that my grades were going to not be as good when I made my commitment. "But, since we're both here, how about we talk anyway? Even if it's just to spite them."

"Okay!" Cody agreed, perking up immediatley.

"Alrighty," I began, pushing Physics aside, "since Calisto Yew was a defense attorney, she often got the information she wanted fairly easily, and even then she didn't have to push very hard. You, on the other hand, not only need a reason to be there, but you also need to somehow be able to get the information out of them. If Evets hasn't changed, then it should be fairly easy to get information. I suppose this is good, since it _will _be your first time, but I advise you not to get used to it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, do you know what I'm looking for exactly?" I thought on this question for a moment, desperately wanting to supply an answer.

"Well, we know for a fact that not too long ago then there was a big scandal because one of the employees was trying to sell an important program to a loan shark. I think Ian's mom believed that this wasn't the first time, and her suspicion got her fired."

"So I bring up the murder, maybe insult the company's reputation a bit, and _bam_! I've got all the information you need."

"I wouldn't be so cocky," I ordered. "Evets may be an idiot, but he will probably not be stupid enough to give away the information that easily. And besides, we still need a way to get you to talk to him." This is what Cody and I pondered the most on, until finally he spoke up.

"Well, he took Ms. Cain's job, right?"

"Yeah."

"But... who took his job?" I was proud and stumped at the same time.

"I don't know, Cody. But I now place you in charge of figuring it out."

* * *

><p>"Kay!" It was the next day. I'd gotten a terrible grade on my Physics homework since only a quarter of it had been done, and Ian blushed at a girl wearing booty-shorts on the way home. It had been a normal day, something I hadn't had since my father's death day, but I was ready for whatever news Cody brought.<p>

"So? What'd you get?" Cody was beaming and breathing heavily, looking extremely proud of himself. It dawned on me just how freshman-y he looked at that moment.

"Evets' job is still up for grabs," he reported. "They're probably going to start hiring tomorrow. If we send them an email or something, then I can say that I went in place of my dad. Or that I'm a midget. Yeah, I can definitely get them to show me around if I say I'm a midget."

"Well then what are we waiting for?" I exclaimed excitedly. "To the library!" Cody and I rushed to the library and grabbed one of the last computers available.

"Wait," I stopped. "We need Ian for this. Go get him." Cody ran out of the room while I waited and relaxed. It felt good. We had a good plan to get Cody into the building, and apparently the person we could talk to was the easiest person to get information from in Los Angeles.

"What is it, Kay?" Ian asked.

"Here! We need you to send an email that can't be traced back to us, and we also need you to put together an awesome computer-prodigy resume really quickly. Can you do it?"

"I think so," he replied, the confidence in his voice far outweighing the confidence in the statement. I slid out of the seat and he slid right back in, then became a completely different kid. He may blush every time he sees a girl, but the computer was his territory, and to him, there was nothing blush-worthy here. He began to type faster than a soda-filled rabbit, going through several different email services and email addresses before finally deciding on one. Then, he typed an email, as if that's the only thing that gave him confidence. It read:

**Dear Mr. Evets,**

** My name is Earl Rae. I have recently graduated, top of my class, from the Alabama Institute of Technology and am looking for a job in the Los Angeles area. I have become aware of your job offer and would like to have an interview. My resume will be sent to you in another e-mail no later than tomorrow evening, and I dearly hope you consider my offer as I am a promising candidate.**

** Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to meeting you,**

** Earl Rae **

"How's that?" Ian asked, suddenly self-concious again. "It's untraceable, and I made the name a palindrome and everything."

"It's great," I replied, "but do you think it will be enough to catch Evets' attention?"

"Oh, definitely," he assured. "Evets graduated top of his class, too, and he _wouldn't shut up about it_. He's always had a soft spot for anyone like him. I'm pretty sure that Cody will be at the top of his list after he reads this."

"Alright. I trust you. And, can you really make a resume with so little time?"

"Sure. It's fake, after all."

"Oh. Right."

"Just send the stupid email already!" Cody ordered, and Ian being Ian, he did so immediately.

"Let the games begin," I found myself saying, only to kick myself immediately afterwards for being cliche.

**Author's Note: There is no Alabama Institute of Technology... is there?**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	8. Pilot: Part 4

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: I gots bads news peeps. (So many plurals! Oh, forgive me English language!) See, I'm writing this other story for Pokemon B/W (****The Sardonic Adventure of Briar Casey****. It's in my favorites. Check it out.), and since it's only a few more months until B/W 2 comes out, and I'm writing a sequel for it based on the game when it comes out, I need to hurry up and finish the story. So... I'm going on hiatus. I'm sorry, dear readers, but I need finish the story in time for the release. So this is the last chapter for a while, probably until the end of the summer or so. I may update like, twice in that time, if I get mega inspiration or something, but I'm gonna be focusing on ****Sardonic****. Sorry.**

**Yeah, yeah, America, I know I'm a terrible person. But I'm also over here trying to plan our viewing of the Avengers, so sorry.**

**TheNextAlice: It's okay. I like children too. And thank you very much for saying you loved the pallendromes :)! I sat down one night when I couldn't sleep and wrote out a bunch of names, so when I need I new one, I'm just like "It's cool, I've got like, twenty" and pick one. And thank you also for Kay's story, because I quite honestly was extremely happy with it.**

**WAIT, GLENELG'S A PLACE? Duudddeeee. This. Changes Everything. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the AA series.**

Chapter 8

"I'm looking at all of this," Reese commented quietly as she flipped through a little report I'd put together, "and there's really much to go on."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She means that all we really have is a solved, unconnected murder and Paperboy's word, Raven," Eric finished. Reese nodded.

"I believe my mom," Ian said condfidently. "If she believed that something was going on, _something _was going on."

"And that's fine, mate," Riah replied coolly. "But it still begs the question: what else is there to look for?"

"_Is_ there anything else?" I asked him, cautiously. And let me tell you, the only thing worse than everyone looking at me expactantly is everyone looking at the eternal Blushing Bride expectantly.

"Well... I... She talks sometimes, but... see... Whenever she sees me or Janie- that's my little sister- she just drops whatever it was. She won't tell us anything. It's... slightly worrying." There was silence, which was natural, because it was the library after all.

"Well, you need to find some way to get it out of her!" Cody exclaimed, prompting the librarian to come over and shush us. She'd done that so many times lately I was afraid we'd have to find a new base of operations, one not infested by spiderwebs and encyclopedias.

"But how do you want me to do that?" Ian questioned, quietly. Lightbulb.

"Oh I-an," I drew out, giving him a look that was a combination of pleading and mischief.

"What?" he asked, sounding horrified already. I cocked my brow.

"You know what you have to do."

"I don't kn- crap. No. Uh uh, I'm not doing it! You really shouldn't ask me to do so many things that may involve my death in one week."

"Oh, you're so dramatic! It's not that big a deal!"

"Not a big deal? It's a very big deal!"

"It's for the good of humanity!"

"What's going on?" Cody moaned.

"How do they do this so often?" Riah added.

"Come on, Ian. You know you're gonna do it."

"No, I'm not! I refuse. I'm already really busy learning how to hack into really powerful security systems, I'm not doing this too."

"Please! I'll never ask for anything ever again!" He cocked his own brow this time.

"Do expect me to believe that?"

"Well... I... no! Fine. You've left me no choice." I turned away from him for a moment, and when I turned back, my eyes were twice their original size.

"Oh no. Not the puppy eyes. I- no! I will not. I refuse. I will not fall victim to those again." Cue, three times original size. "Crap. I won't- you're right I can't. Fine. But you owe me!"

"Yay!"

"What is he doing?" Reese prodded.

"You just managed to have an entire converation without saying the subject!" Riah exclaimed. Ian sighed as I smiled triumphantly.

"She... wants me to get my mother drunk."

* * *

><p>Quite obviously, Ian Cain would not be one to hold his liquor.<p>

And since he gets everything from his mother, she can't, either.

The first time I'd met Ian's family was at Nia's birthday party. They had invited me, and I had a really good time. Ian's dad was sarcastic and cussed like a sailor, and his sister looked like a little doll and was as sweet as they came. And his mother was great, too, don't get me wrong. But she had half a glass of wine and was as tipsy as a spinning top. So if you can imagine Ian drunk, you can imagine Nia Cain drunk, too.

And yes, it's hilarious.

Still, though, the whole idea of Nia walking in zigzag lines and spewing out nonense wasn't exactly the way Ian enjoyed thinking about his mother. On the contrary, he was blushing the entire party (but then again, when is he not?) In fact, every time I went to his house I noticed that he went to extreme measures to keep his mother away from the large, floor-to-ceiling LED wine fridge in their kitchen (David Cain could drink like a sailor, too.) But thanks to the miracle worker known as the puppy eyes, he was about to encourage her using it.

After walking home from school (as he always did), Ian glanced at his driveway and noticed his dad's giant plumber truck was gone. That was good. If Nia drank, then he'd want to drink too, and Ian really didn't know how to deal with that at the moment. He could also recall that Janie was at a friend's house, so it would just be him and his mom when he intentionally got her drunk. Knowing that the situation could be a lot worse, Ian decided to head straight in with what he had. He found his mother on the couch in the living room, looking distressed and defeated. As much as he hated to admit it, this was the perfect condition for his mother to be in.

"Hey, Mom," he greeted, his voice already shaking. After his encounter with Detective Gumshoe, Ian was really beginning to realize that he would be a terrible actor or detective. Or anything that involved talking...

"Oh, hello, Ian," Nia replied sleepily. She rubbed her eyes, smoothed her skirt, and sat up. She offered a small smile, and Ian wondered if he'd be helping her or acting like an even more terrible person that he had been lately by giving her wine. "How was your day?"

"It was fine," he replied. _Disregarding the fact that I'm assisting robbery._ "But you seem pretty down. What's up?"

"Oh, I'm just tired, that's all," Nia replied, offering the smile again. "Isn't it ironic, dear? I'm more tired without a job than I was with one."

"Yeah," Ian laughed, rather awkwardly. _Guess I'll go for it now. Not like it'll take long to get anything out of her. _"You know, Mom, you've been having a really hard time lately. Maybe... just this once... you can open up the fridge again." Nia stopped running her hands through her wavy blonde hair, staring at her son with what could be interpreted as suspicion or interest.

"You mean... the wine fridge?"

"Yeah. Dad and Janie aren't here. I won't tell them if you don't want me to." Nia stared a moment more, then looked away. _Oh great. She's gonna say no. I'm sorry, Kay, I'm just not good at this kind of-_

"You know what? You're right."

"Huh what?"

"You're right. It's been awhile since I opened a bottle or two. Now's as good a time as any." _Crap, it actually worked?_ "In fact, if you don't mind, I think I'll invite the girls over." _And this is where things start going crazy. _

"Sure, Mom. You can invite them over."

"I will! I'll go call them right now." Nia rushed into the kitchen, where Ian assumed she had left her cell phone.

"Crap crap crap crap crap!" he murmured as he took off his hat and rumpled his hair. His mom had been friends with three other girls in college, and their relationship had extended beyond. They acted like stereotypical group of grown women friends (especially since all of them but Nia was a stay-at-home mom, although she was quickly becoming one), which in Ian's mind was like teenage girls at a sleepover under a grown-up mask. The worst part, he knew, was that it took more to get them drunk than it did his mother. But if he was going to get information, they would all have to be tipsy or else they might get suspicious. _Oh, stupid puppy eyes, why must I always feel your taunting power!_

"Ian!" He turned and saw his mother carrying two bottles of deep purple wine into the living room and set them on the coffee table. "Hannah, Regina, and Jo will be here in a few minutes. I'm going to get some glasses; can you slice the cheese?"

"Sure." Still deep in thought as to how he was going to control four drunk women, Ian brought out four different blocks of cheese (sharp cheddar, goat, provolone, and cheddar jack) and began cubing them. He couldn't get his mother _too _drunk; she'd just spout out nonsense instead of her former company's darkest secrets. But how could he-

The sharp _ding-dong _of the doorbell indicated that "the girls" were already here.

_Dude! How do they get here so fast?_

"Ian! Put the cheese by the glasses, please." Ian did so, still trying to figure out what to do in this situation. The second the glass platter hit the table, four voices rose above the _chink _and told him that he was going to have to think fast, something he wasn't particularly good at and usually left to Kay.

Ian was immediately showered with kisses and compliments about how handsome he was becoming, and what college are you going to, dear, graduation is coming up? All of this reddened his complexion, and his mind was so consumed with the sudden clatter of middle-aged women that he almost didn't hear his mother pop the cork.

Almost.

_Crap! _

"Here, Mom, let me pour it!" he said frantically, snatching the bottle and pouring a controllable amount into her glass.

"Oh, um, thank you."

"Don't forget your Aunt Reggie, dear," Regina chirped, holding out her glass. Ian filled it as well, with a lot more than Nia's. He did the same with Hannah and Jo, who afterwards made a reference that he didn't get but must've been hilarious since they all almost lost their carefully poured wine. Ian sighed, knowing this was going to be a long and tedious hour.

Nia was practically spewing out her social security number after three small glasses, but the other ladies seemed perfectly fine. They all conversed with his mother as if she wasn't to drunk to drive, and Nia continued to ask for more.

_This wasn't thought out-_

_Ding-dong_. There it was again.

"Who could that be?" Hannah wondered aloud. The three of them got up and trotted to the door, with Nia yelling at them to wait up as she struggled to stand. Ian was curious as well and accompanied them to the door.

"'ello, Ian!"

"What the- Riah?"

"Mind if I come in, love? Of course you don't, you need me." As Riah pushed through the entrance, she whispered: "Don't worry. Believe it or not, I've done this before." Then, practically trampling Ian before excitedly greeting his mother's friends as well as his mother herself (she did the same thing where she talked to Nia as if she wasn't stone drunk.) Ian narrowed his eyes and looked out the door. Eric, Reese, Cody, and I were hiding in the bushes, and I gave him a shrug that (in our language) suggested that we just couldn't help ourselves.

"My, Ian, who is this lovely girl?" Jo prodded, looking absolutely ravenous for gossip.

"Oh, um, this is Riah. She's... a friend. From school."

"A friend, eh?" Hannah exclaimed, throwing her arms around Riah's shoulders and smiling mischeviously. Riah wore the same smile, as if she was genuinely enjoying it. "Well, she's a very _pretty _friend, Ian." From outside, all of us (even Reese) snickered because we knew that Ian and Riah did _not _go together.

"But enough about me!" Riah told them. "Come come, I can smell wine from a mile away. Now I may not be able to drink it over here, but at least I can help you do it!"

"Oh, what a dear!" Riah led them all back into the living room (includiing Nia, whose elbow she took as she guided her through the doorway). While they were all getting settled, she ran up to Ian.

"Ian, we need some kind of beverage!"

"Well, what kind of beverage?"

"One that I can substitute as wine, you bloke! Go, quickly!" Ian dashed into the kitchen. He knew that Janie liked grape juice, but he wasn't sure how long it had been since she had any. There probably wasn't any in-

There it was. A jug of Welch's, half empty and probably expired. Ian shrugged and grabbed it. As he entered the living room and Riah saw his find, she motioned towards the wine bottle she wasn't holding. As Ian took, saying it was empty (it wasn't), he noticed that Riah's way of serving wine was more hectic and much more effective. It seemed as if each lady got an impossibly large amount of wine each pour, and the overall speeding up of the atmosphere made them think to drink faster as well. Ian could already see the dizziness setting in with Jo and Hannah.

In the kitchen, Ian poured the little bit of wine left into the sink and filled it with grape juice. In the living room, he could hear his mother whining because she hadn't gotten any, and he could practically see Riah's pleaing look. He rushed into the room and poured the glass himself.

With the help of Riah, it didn't take long for the other ladies to get sustainably drunk. Thanks to the grape juice, Nia wasn't any more drunk than before but still being satsfied. Finally, Riah confirmed that it was okay to start questioning his mom. She promised to hold off Regina, Hannah, and Jo while he settled down.

"So, Mom... How has Lisa Basil been lately?" The goofy smile that had been on Nia's face disappeared, replaced with a sneer.

"That robotic _bosh'tet_, thinking she can do that to the company," she scoffed, her words fairly slurred. Everyone laughed when she said "bosh'tet", even Riah.

"Ha!" she exclaimed. "I get that reference!"

Ian reminded himself to take away his Mom's Mass Effect until she got a job.

"What was it?" he continued, trying not to sound to eager. "What was she gonna do?"

"The CDs!" Nia wailed, making all the sober people jump. "It's the CDs! They'll kill us all!"

"What's that mean, Mom? What CDs? How will they kill us?"

"They already killed Glen," she whispered, a small, shiny tear slipping down her cheek. Seeing this, all her friends began sobbing, and Riah struggled to comfort them.

"Glen Elg? Are you talking about the program that he tried to sell to the loan shark?"

"It's a virus!" she screamed, resuming her loud volume. "It's a virus and it will be the end of us! I'm one of the lucky ones!"

"Lucky ones?" Ian asked frantically. "Do you mean that people could die over these CDs? It could've been worse for you?"

"Much, much worse!" she responded, another tear falling from her eye. This resulted in another torrent of sobs from the ladies.

"Where were these CDs, Mom? How can we get them away from the robotic _bosh'tet_?" Nia sniffed and looked at Ian like a child looks at their mother.

"You'd take them away?"

"Yes, Mom, Riah and I want to take them away. Where are they?" Suddenly, Nia tensed, as if she wasn't inclined to answer anymore. I think she meant to stroke an imaginary beard, but her hand was on her right cheek, so she failed in that department.

"Evets' office!" she yelled suddenly, one again causing the sober people to jump. Then, less tense, she began to sing it. "Evets' office, Evets' office, the puppet Evets' office. Not the _bosh'tet's _office, just the kiss-up Evets' office!" Hannah, Regina, and Jo joined at this point and Riah showed a triumphant look that told him they were done.

"Yeah, Mom, thanks. I'm gonna walk Riah to the door." The four ladies didn't even notice as they left, but instead continued singing, Regina adding some blush-inducing words to the second or third verse.

"Well Kay was right," Riah reported triumphantly. "That was helpful."

"Yeah, I guess so. But she'll be like that for a while now. Along with her friends, after all that wine you gave them. Where did you learn to do that, anyway?"

"I may not be Irish, but we English still drink. I needed to know where my older cousin hid my diary. He wanted some beer. We both got what we wanted in the end."

"What about that bit about killing people?" Ian asked nervously.

"Oh, I think that's just the alcohol," Riah assured. "I wouldn't worry your blonde, blushing head about it, mate."

"Hey guys!" I yelled, jumping out of our hiding place. "Did you find out anything useful?"

"Yes we did. Like that Ian shouldn't be a bartender. And that there's some sort of virus in Evets' office. But mostly that Ian shouldn't be a bartender."

"Well, at least one of those statements is new information! Come on, everyone, I think we can send Cody down to Blue Screens now. You ready, man?"

**Author's Note: So this is where I leave you for a while. Sorry if it sucks. But, anyway, I'll start writing again when I'm done with ****Sardonic**** or at a good place to work on two fanfics at once, like I've been doing.**

**Thanks for reading and please review, I'll see ya'll soon!**


	9. Pilot: Part 5

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Reporters, get your notepads; anchors, get your hairspray! The Yatagarasu is back and they are about to rule the world with their AWESOMENESS!**

**... That sounds like something Kay would say, Kay should say that.**

**Anyway, it's good to be back. I hope you're all still reading this, after two months. But I have stayed true to my word and come back at the end of Summer. Well, this is the end to my summer vacation, and that's basically Summer to me, and I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CAPITALIZE. Sorry. Don't really know what I'm saying.**

**NEXTALICE! HOW I HAVE MISSED YOU SO! Fabula and I have developed an obsession with Alice in Wonderland as well, so we can fangirl over that some time. And yes... mothers playing Mass Effect. I'm actually watching my sister play Mass Effect right now.**

**Fabula: I actually have an Alice in Wonderland tea pot3**

**RECAP: Kay forms Yatagarasu with Ian Cain (tech), Riah Blake (detective), Cody Hackins (actor), Eric Weisner (muscle), and Reese Emmitt (chess player). They choose to rob Blue Screens Inc. after Ian's genius mother is fired. Ron and Desiree DeLite suggest Cody interrogate Vice President Steven Evets. Ian's drunk mother reveals that whatever they should steal is in said VP's office.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own the AA series. Two months isn't that long.**

Chapter 9

We hadn't really thought everything through.

As in, the day after Ian and Riah's deliberate attempt to get four women drunk, Steven Evets replied to our email, saying he'd absolutely LOVE to meet Earl (Cody) if he was interested in a position.

And Cody really, really didn't want to wear a suit. This was okay considering the fact that we DIDN'T HAVE ONE.

So, yes. I was really beginning to get annoyed with Reese, since she was supposed to help with this stuff. But we would have to make do, since the interview was in two days. Eric and Ian were given the task of finding a suit for Cody to wear. Riah claimed to be working on one of her famous comics, which I finally got to see in the school paper. There was no question that it was professional quality, but my idea of professional might be screwed up since, when I told her, the British artist jerked the paper from my hands and called the work "a bloody disgrace to artistry everywhere".

So I wasn't quite sure what to think the day before the interview, when apparently nothing was done yet. I felt like a bride that didn't have her dress two days before the wedding. Except the one getting married was a 14-year-old boy that refused to wear a suit, much less a dress... but hey, I was just talking about how I felt.

I hadn't seen anyone almost that entire day, not even Ian, who I usually spent most of my time with. It was a little lonely, but exciting too, because I knew that they might be working on the infiltration. Not that I wasn't working on anything... I mean, I had been reading some of my dad's old records... and I'd seen the DeLites again... man, Andrew and Ariel were cute.

But anyway, I hadn't seen Ian that entire day, until right before the bell rang to signal the end of the day. He met me outside my Government class, which I was taking extra pleasure in now that I knew I was helping it and going against it at the same time. He was pacing nervously, even though we were being let out early and I didn't understand why he was there.

"Oh! Hi Kay!" He ran up to me (waiting for people and saying at least a dozen "Excuse me"'s first, of course) and we started walking towards the buses. "No luck on the suit... sorry. My dad... well, you know he wouldn't be one to wear suits. I... am not sure how Eric's doing. He's been at football practice a lot lately. Not a surprise... we've been keeping him away. Hey, is that Riah?"

Indeed it was. She was pacing in front of the principal's office, looking worried. Pacing and looking worried seemed to be the Yatagarasu's pasttime.

"Hey, Riah!" I greeted. "What's up?"

"Cody's gotten arrested for theft!" she exclaimed, ceasing her pacing for only a moment.

"But... but we haven't stolen anything yet!"

"Not Yatagarasu stealing!" she exclaimed. "Like, re_al _stealing! They said he stole a book or something!" Wait, Cody stole a book? Why does that sound familiar?

"But... but it's only a book, isn't it?" Ian asked worriedly. "Like... they're not gonna charge him or anything?"

"She said arrested, Ian!" I yelled at him. "I'm pretty sure you have to file charges to be arrested!"

"Well, I may have exaggerated that a little..." I sighed, now even more irritated with our overall situation than I was an hour ago.

"Well then can someone PLEASE tell me what's real and what's not?"

"Don't get your tizzies in a twist," Riah said calmly. "I don't think he did it. Come on; let's go to the library. That's the crime scene." So we followed an agitated Riah to the library, where Reese seemed to be playing chess with herself. "Reese! How long have you been here?"

"All day," she responded, not even looking at us.

"All day?" I prodded. "What about classes?"

"Free track," she answered, moving the rook.

"What?! How did you- what?" I shook my head disbelievingly. "I thought it was just a myth."

"Silly Kay," Riah laughed. "I had a free track, too."

"What?!" Out of sheer irritation, I spun on Ian. "Did _you _get one, too?"

"Well... yeah. That's how I was able to wait for you. I was hacking into administrator's computers all day. I think I'm getting better..."

"As awesome as that is for us... _what the crap_!" Basically, if you got good enough grades on the special tests at the beginning of the year, you got a couple of days where you could skip classes called a free track. I didn't think they existed, though, considering the fact that _I _didn't get any.

"Reese, if you've been here all day, can you tell us if Cody's been here?" Reese looked at all of us worriedly, as if we were asking her if she saw a murder suspect instead of Cody.

"Well, he might've been here. I've been a little... busy." Her eyes drifted to the chess board.

"Well, where _might _he have been?" Riah prodded impatiently.

"Um... I think he said hi and went that way." Reese jerked her head to the right. Riah dashed over and examined the section she was pointing at.

"Interesting..." She walked back over to us. Reese, apparently not wanting to be a part of our investigation, hunkered down over the chess board. "Alright. The two books stolen were a recently-obtained, valuable copy of Great Expectations, and a signed copy of The Hunger Games. Hunger Games was in a display case near the desk, but the copy of Great Expectations was on display over here. You could still check it out, though, which is odd. Anyway... aha! Alright, who wants to play lawyer?"

"Me!" I exclaimed, resulting in a ton of _shhh_'s from everyone, even Reese. Wait, where had I heard this before? Anyway, Riah pulled out that sketchpad that she always seemed to take out of nowhere. She scribbled a couple of things down, ripped the sheet out, and shoved it at me.

"Come on! We have to save Freshie!" The three of us began to rush out of the library, but stopped at a certain chess board.

"Hey Reese, wanna see me win my first case?" Reese looked up at us, surprised.

"Well, I kinda need to practice. Nationals are coming up." Her pretty teal eyes drifted to the board.

"You've been practicing all day. You deserve a break. And you're playing yourself, for goodness sake!"

"The best way to prepare your mind is to fi-" Whatever philosophical thing Reese Emmitt was about to say stopped in it's track. I was pretty sure I knew what it was going to be. 'The best way to prepare your mind is to fight it.' But dang it, why didn't she finish? I was getting genuinely irritated.

"Come on. As your boss, I command that you come with us."

"You're... not my boss."

"But I can tell you want to, so come!" I grabbed her wrist to make my statement all the more dramatic and dragged her to the principal's office.

"OBJECTION!" I yelled as we entered, pointing and everything. Mr. Edgeworth would've been proud.

"What the- Miss Faraday, what is the meaning of this?"

"Yeah Kay, what's the meaning of this?"

"Shut up Cody, I'm helping you." I turned to my principal, who I hoped wouldn't expel me. "Sir, I would like to present evidence proving Mr. Hackins' innocence." When he didn't say anything, I decided to continue anyway. "Exhibit A: upon examination of the defendant's fingers, you can clearly see they're covered in ink. There was no ink at either of the crime scenes, but there was some in the comic book section. Exhibit B: the two books stolen were a classic and a popular bestseller. Cody obviously has no interest in classics and has exclaimed multiple times that he refuses to read anything related to pop culture."

"I'm not part of this system!" Cody yelled to enforce my point.

"And Exhibit C: Miss Emmitt here had a free track today and spent all day in the library practicing for the national chess tournament she's qualified for. She remembers seeing the defendant, but in the comic book section, away from the crime scenes. This observation is confirmed by the multiple ink smears on the comic books." Wait... oh my gosh, this was the excuse I gave my mom about how I met everyone. It was really happening. Well, in that case, Mr. Mable was about to say...

"That's pretty impressive, Miss Faraday. You'd be a good lawyer. Unfortunately, it seems that you don't have all the evidence." What? So this is a Phoenix Wright trial now? "You see, Cody was also given a free track today-" Seriously?! "-and Mrs. Kallen recalls him taking two books out of the library, very similar to the ones stolen. He didn't respond, even after she called out to him."

"Freshie, you bloody idiot!" Riah yelled.

"That's not it, I'm telling you!" Cody pleaded. "Those were mine. I was lending them to a friend, but he's not here to testify!"

"Despite all that, you didn't find the books on Cody. You can't prove anything." A smug smile found it's way onto my face as I proved my point.

"That may be true, Miss Faraday, but you forget that this is a school administrator's office and not a courtroom. I am certain that Mr. Hackins stole them and that's good enough for the school board." Well dang it. He had a point there.

"Kay?" Cady said, worried. "What's with that look on your face?"

"Cody... I-"

"HOLD IT!" All of us spun around and, lo and behold, there was Eric, waving an original copy of Great Expectations.

"Why, Mr. Weisner-"

"You don't need to hold Cody anymore, Mr. Mable," Eric assured in his suave voice. "All us football players had a free track-"

"WHAT. THE HECK."

"Quite right, Raven, whatever that means. Anyway, I found Russel Dixon reading this in an obnoxious British accent to the other guys in the locker room."

"Wanker," an offended Riah muttered. Eric walked up to the desk and dropped it down.

"Anyway, is this enough to get Cody off the hook?"

"It _does _make his story more credible," I pointed out, wanting to still help my client. Mr. Mable sat for a moment, deep in thought.

"Alright, you're off the hook, Mr. Hackins."

"I _told_ you!" he yelled, getting out of his chair. "But all you adults think you can push me around, just 'cause I'm a kid."

"I don't think that at all, Mr. Ha-"

"Save it, principal ma-" At this point, Riah did him the favor of slapping her hand over the freshman's mouth.

"Please forgive him, Mr. Mable. He does this to everyone. It's simply in his nature." The principal looked skeptical for a moment, but my puppy eyes put him over the edge.

"Alright, but _only _because I feel bad for falsely accusing you." Yeah. Right. Riah's accent and my puppy eyes contributed nothing. "Do not think that I will excuse this behavior in the future."

"I- yes, Mr. Mable."

"Thank you. You're all..." He seemed hesitant to say what he said next, but eventually gave in to his sense of humor. "Court dismissed."

* * *

><p>"Well that was fun," Eric admitted as we instinctively walked towards his van. "Why don't we all-"<p>

"Get ice cream?" I asked stoically.

"What? How'd you know?"

"I dunno. Just been feeling a bit psychic lately."

**Author's Note: So I went to IMDb to look at the Spiderman movie to see if it said what he meant when he said "free track", but all that really stuck with me was a review that called Peter Parker a "sexy nerd incarnate". So Andrew Garfield **_**was**_** a studmuffin for all nerdy girls, not just me and Fabula... **

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	10. Pilot: Part 6

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Yes! Let us fangirl! And back off. Andrew's mine. (Fabula, don't reply to that.) Good to have you back, too! :)**

**Alice's review has also reminded me that I made a mistake in the last chapter... sorry. I'll fix that this chapter. AND Cody gets to break into Blue Screens, and after that Kay can rob them! So the good stuff is finally coming!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the AA series.**

Chapter 10

The only person that I was able to find throughout the day was Reese, who was the person that I needed to talk to most anyway. I liked to consider that yesterday was a victory of the Yatagarasu, but it certainly wasn't a victory that Reese wanted to be a part of. Well, not even that she _didn't _want to be a part of it. I saw her get excited when I mentioned her in my arguments. It was more like she felt she _shouldn't_ be there.

But she needed to understand that we needed her. I didn't pick anyone else for their ability to create strategy. _I _certainly couldn't create such strategy. I needed her to be open about it.

"Hey, Reese!" I ran in her direction, and she seemed surprised as I stopped next to her. "So today's a big day. I was wondering if you'd thought of any sort of strategy or something." I saw a little spark of excitement as she nodded a little and began.

"Well, we obviously won't be able to talk to him while he's inside, so we'll need to lay everything out before he goes in. So I think he should try being polite at first, and then extract the information regarding the whereabouts of the virus using whatever means he finds necessary, and also a place you can enter through. It's really simple, you could've thought of it, but-" Suddenly, she stopped, as if she'd something. I thought I might should take offense, but I didn't really find a problem with her statement. Instead, I just squinted.

"You can talk to me honestly, Reese," I stated. "We're friends. You don't have to cover your true personality." Reese stared at me, a familiar blank look in her eyes. Then, she looked down.

"But blankness is what people want, Kay. They respect it." Her head shot up, her teal eyes gleaming with an intensity I hadn't seen from her before. "_They like it_. It's relatable and easy to understand. They don't want intelligence, or serenity, or fire. They follow the natural function of the human brain; they understand and they like. So I just make it easier for them." We stood in the middle of the hall together for a moment, her eyes still gleaming, mine I imagine confused. Then, I laughed.

"Oh my God, what a bunch of _bull_! I mean, that was awesome! I like real Reese!" Unsurprisingly, she was taken aback by my statement. "Seriously, eloquent, fiery Reese is super cool. You should show it to someone else. Like... oh, there's Eric! What have you always wanted to say to Eric?"

"Well..." Reese began to rub her chin, her voice having more conviction already. "I've always hated it when he called me Checkers."

"Really? Why?" Of course I knew, but I was pretty sure that real Reese needed some pumping up.

"Because chess isn't checkers! They're very different! It's a disgrace to the game to say they're so much as similar!"

"Then go, tell him!"

"I will!" With that, she marched right up to Eric, who was almost a foot taller, and stared him defiantly in the eye. He, like me, was surprised at the fire that resided in them.

"Uh, hey Checkers. What's up?"

"Stop calling me Checkers." Eric cocked his brow. "It is disrespectful to me and the game. Your attempt to assign me a nickname for the sole purpose of annoying me is immature and your other attempts to charm me are also very annoying." Wait, he had been trying to charm her? Hmm... "Therefore, I ask that you consider your childish behavior and stop it." Eric's eyes were wide and very much surprised, while mine were prideful, as if this not-bland Reese was my own creation. Just as suddenly as it appeared, his expression of confusion was gone and replaced by his normal suave one.

"Okay, Checkers." With that, he speedwalked away, not even looking in my direction. Reese appeared next to me, not looking happy.

"It didn't work, Kay."

"Doesn't matter! That was awesome! Now I gotta go. See you after school!" And that's how I left real Reese, hoping that she wouldn't disappear by the time I saw her again.

* * *

><p>I didn't see Ian pacing outside class when the bell rang, and I didn't feel like waiting for him. Eric told us that we could all meet by his van on interview day. The interview started only fifteen minutes after school started, and his was the only vehicle that could get us there on time. And no, Ian was <em>not <em>waiting for me after class, but he and everyone else seemed ready at the car by the time I got there.

"What- how'd all of you get here?!" They all opened their mouths to speak, but I added something before they could. "And don't you dare say you got a free track today, too."

"Maybe not all of us stopped to get a drink of water and chat with Frederick Yettinger, Raven," Eric said with a smirk.

"What?!" Ian exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of his blushing head. "You were talking to Frederick Yettinger?"

"No, Ian, why would I stop and talk to the valedictorian?"

"I wouldn't blame you, Kay," Riah stated leaning against the van.

"It doesn't matter if Kay stopped to talk to the attractive valedictorian, we have to go," Reese stated in an authority voice I'd learn to use to my advantage. Everyone except for Eric and I looked a little surprised at her new tone, but didn't hesitate to follow her orders. We all climbed into the van and Eric slammed the acceleration before we even finished buckling our seatbelts.

"You might wanna wait to do that, Katana," Eric advised. "Your suit's in the back. I hope drama kids change as fast as everyone says."

"You got a suit?" I asked, my eyes wide and excited. "I thought you couldn't find one!"

"Of course I did, Raven; I wouldn't let you down."

"Kay!" Cody whined from the back seat. "I don't wanna wear a suit!"

"It'll be for an hour tops. Do it for the good of humanity."

"But I don't want to!"

"Fine, then do it for your computer, which might be affected by the virus I'm trying to steal if you don't do it!" Cody didn't say another word, but I saw him jump into the very back from the mirror.

"Oh, Kay, I made this." Ian dug through his pocket for a moment and pulled out what looked like a little green bullet.

"Awesome!... What is it?"

"It's a transmitter thing. If Cody puts it in his ear, we'll be able to hear what's going on around him and he'll be able to hear us." I snatched the bullet-like device up, examining it closely.

"What... where'd you get this?" I asked, in awe of the small creation.

"I made it," he explained. "Mr. DeLite's book told me how to."

"This is so stupid," Cody mumbled as he swung himself back into his seat, looking spiffy in his suit, which was a bit to big but nothing noticeable.

"Oh, look at you, Freshie, so handsome in your little business outfit," Riah cooed. Suddenly, Cody was singing a different tune, swaggering as much as he could in the back seat of a van. Ian handed him the bug, which he tried to put in his ear without looking but failed when he slammed it into his cheek.

"Hey Cody," I yelled to the back, "I've been wondering. We were able to find Great Expectations yesterday, but do you know where that copy of The Hunger Games went?" The swagger was drained from his body as all the eyes in the car (except the driver's, thankfully) turned to him.

"Well... I..." I glanced over and saw Reese giving him a look. It wasn't exactly scary, but it looked as if she was... daring you. Like, _Lie to me. I _dare_ you. _I wonder if she gave that look to her opponents in chess.

Whatever the case, it was working wonders on Cody.

"Fine! I stole that one!" Everyone gasped dramatically.

"But Freshie! You told us that you refused to, and I quote, 'read the kindling that fueled the relentless, burning hot fires of pop culture!'"

"I know, and that's why I didn't want to tell anyone!" he explained, looking at the ceiling. "When an informant of admistrative activites informed me that they were onto me, I snuck into the furnace room and burned it, just like we did the student records."

"Burned it?!" Reese exclaimed, sounding as if it hurt her heart to even think about a book burning.

"Oh Freshie," Riah laughed as she settled back into her seat.

"Just don't let there be a guilt problems that interfere with the mission," I ordered.

"Guilt problems? Kay, it's me we're talking about here."

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, we arrived at Blue Screens, a minute before he was due.<p>

"Should we wait a few minutes?" Cody asked. "You know, so I can be 'fashionably late'?"

"Cody. This is a job interview, not a party. Now go."

"Remember," Reese said as he climbed over the middle row of seats, "start out reasonably polite so that you can get into his office and find a weak spot. After that, you can be as annoying as you want."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Reese gave him the look again. "... Ack, alright! Just don't look at me like that." Cody moved uncomfortably towards a door. Right before he got out, Ian exclaimed:

"Oh! One more thing!" He dug into his other pocket, this time pulling out what looked like a quarter and handing it to him.

"Thanks. Now I can stop by the gas station and get one stick of gum. This doesn't buy anything nowadays, Ian!"

"Look more carefully at it," Ian pleaded. "It's like a bug for a computer. Stick it near any computer or security camera. I'm not sure if it'll work, but it's another thing the book told me how to make. It'll collect certain data about locations and, if it works, I'll try to use it to map out all the areas I don't already know." Cody paused.

"Oh." After that defeat, he hurried to get out of the car.

"Don't forget to leave the hat, Freshie!" Riah said as he got out. She herself removed the said item from his head, revealing a mess of black hair.

"Hey! Give it-" But she had already closed the door. Ian grabbed a wire from his backpack and told Eric to plug it into his radio. He did it quickly, and Cody's voice rang through the car.

"-tch."

"Sorry Cody, we just got you connected. What'd you just say?"

"Oh, uh, you didn't hear me? That's fine, don't worry about it, it's not important." I saw Riah's eyebrows raise out of the corner of my eye and I think she was able to tell what he said anyway.

We looked out our windows and saw Cody enter the building. Eric began to drive away, as we'd planned. We couldn't have Blue Screens getting suspicious of the large green van parked in front for an hour or so. We heard Cody's tinny voice boom from the radio again.

"Earl Rae, here to see Mr. Evets." Cody sounded grown-up and practical, but still with a bit of edge, and I knew I'd picked the right freshman for the job.

"One moment, please... Oh, _you're _Mr. Rae?"

"What are you implying?" Cody yelled, and we heard him slam his hand on the front desk. "That just because I'm short I'm not an adult? I'll have you know that, despite my height, I graduated at the top of my class and was respected by even the seven foot football players at my university. So maybe, instead of judging me by my height, you should do your job and tell Mr. Evets that I'm ready!"

"I-I'm very sorry, sir!" she assured. We heard the small, staccato sound of typing. "Mr. Evets is ready for you in his office. Go up to the third floor and his office is room 312."

"_Thank _you," Cody replied, saying it much more like an insult than a polite thanking. We heard a dim voice say "Please have a nice day!" desperately, as if to say she was sorry. I hoped she didn't lose her job when we exposed Evets and Basil, since she seemed like a nice girl.

"I stuck the bug thing in the shadow of her computer when I slammed my hand down," he reported as the elevator rose. "Is it working?"

"I'm working on it," Ian assured as he furiously typed at his laptop. We heard the _ding _of the elevator as Cody stepped of and the hollow knock on the VP's door. There was a faint "Come in!" and the sound of a door opening as Cody entered.

"Mr. Rae, so very nice to meet you!"

"And you, Mr. Evets."

"I've read your resume, and I must admit, I am very impressed. I am tempted to give you the position right now!" At this all of us tensed. We wanted Cody to find Evet's office and a weak point for me to enter, not get a job he'd have no idea how to do. However, despite this new prospect, Cody's laugh echoed throughout the van.

"Well, I wouldn't argue with that. Although, if you really feel so strongly about me and the position, why don't you give me a tour? You can show me the building and we could have a casual interview while walking."

"Why, that sounds like a great idea! Come, I'll show you this floor first."

"Remember," Reese said, "now you have to find a weak spot that Kay can enter through. Be nice until then."

"Yeah, I got it."

"Excuse me?" We all tensed again as Evets heard Cody's response.

"I said 'Yeah, I saw it.' I was about to finish with 'And it seemed nice.'"

"Oh, my apologies, Mr. Rae."

"If you would like, you could call me Earl." All of us let out a sigh of relief. Not only had he turned it into something completely casual, but he also just got him and Evets on a first-name basis.

Spoiler alert: the interview was boring. It was a good thing that Cody had managed to learn his character so well, though, because Evets was asking a lot of questions and I was worried he wouldn't know all the answers. But anything that we hadn't told him to do he improvised, which seemed to be a talent of his. Finally, the two found themselves back in the VP's office. I was worried, since Cody hadn't gone on a high-vocabulary tangent _once_. What if he hadn't found a weak spot?

"Well, Earl, I'll be getting back to you very soon on the job. I can't wait to hear back."

"And I too, Mr. Evets. But one more question: if I were to get an office, would there be a safe place to put any important programs I was working on? Wouldn't want them to fall into the wong hands." We could feel the tension rise in the office at Cody's last words.

"Yes. There are safes in most offices for that very purpose. They're wall safes; mine's behind that lovely painting. Isn't it nice? I got it at an auction, to treat myself when I got the position."

"_Very _nice," Cody agreed, the italics being an auditory wink in our direction. "Good day, Mr. Evets."

"Good day, Earl." This was said as the door to his office was being opened.

"Oh, and one more thing." Cody was talking in his Cody voice now, not his Earl Rae voice. "That suit looks ridiculous and that painting is a knock-off of Andy Warhol." With that, the door slammed shut and Cody was snickering down the hallway.

"Cody Cody Cody," I said into nothing in particular.

"Sorry. I'd been practical for too long. I needed to make at least one insult today."

"Yeah, yeah. Go, Eric, we need to pick him up." Eric swung out of the parking place we'd picked, one of the few open ones on the edge of the park. After running at least one red light, we pulled up to the entrance right as Cody exited and took off right as he got in. He immediately jumped into the back and changed out of the suit. When he returned in his normal clothes, he angrily grabbed his hat from Riah's extended hand and yanked it onto his head.

"Good job," I congratulated from the front. "You found Evets' office and the most likely hiding place for the virus. But did you find a weak spot?"

"Of course I did," he answered, throwing the suit jacket, which landed right on top of Ian's head. "Remember when I went to the bathroom on the fourth floor? There was this _huge _window in there, and the security's really lacking on that floor, from what I saw. You can get in from there."

"Yep. All I have to do is climb four stories into a men's bathroom, get past all the fourth and third floor cameras without disabling them, break into Evets' office, break into his safe, and get out with it. Easy. Ian, did your little computer bug thing help any?"

"I think so," he responded. "I'm getting a lot of security footage, but there needs to be some upgrading before I can tamper with it from another computer. I have access to the alarm systems, too, but that will also be tricky."

"What about the safe?"

"I'm working on another little gadget for that, too. But I'm not sure if it'll be ready in time. You'll need a backup plan for that."

"Okay," I said, but an entry from one of my dad's journals was already popping into my mind. He, too, was robbing a corrupt computer company, and they had the most high-tech safe of the time. It was hand-made by the company itself and therefore a normal device couldn't crack it. But I couldn't quite remember how he did it.

But I would fill the blanks in myself. I was the new Yatagarasu and this was what we were born to do.

**Author's Note: Yay! So that ends Cody's part in this journey of the Yatagarasu. There will probably be quite a few more chapters until she actually robs Blue Screens, but I'll try to keep 'em coming. It will be hard, though, with all this Lit. homework I should've been doing over the summer that I didn't know I had. But I bet that explains my ****Fahrenheit 451**** references.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	11. Pilot: Part 7

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Is there anyone else still reading this except TheNextAlice?**

**Speaking of Alice, a valedictorian is the person that's first in their class. Remember him. He comes in later. **

**(Next day) Hey! This is up! I mean, sure, I should be doing the pile of homework I need to turn in this Thursday, but I wanted to write this and IT WAS UP! IT'S A SIGN!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Ace Attorney series. **

Chapter 11

"Can you drop me off here, Eric?" Everyone looked outside at where we were. The buildings of downtown L.A. still surrounded us, and we were nowhere near the suburbs where all of us seemed to live.

"Okay Raven, I know you don't like to be dropped off directly at your house, but this is a bit ridiculous."

"I'm not going home," I replied as I got out of the car. "Good job, guys!" Before they could question me on my destination, I shut the door and walked towards the building in front of me.

I entered through the parking garage. That's how lots of people entered, even though they did so with cars (I had more fun dodging the guard who was often reading teen fiction. For the past few days, it had been 50 Shades of Gray.) The elevator brought me to the floor I wanted, and the receptionist knew me so well that she just threw her head in the direction of the hallway. I opened the door and closed it quietly. After a moment, I grinned and did my common announcement of arrival.

"OH MR. EDGEEEEWORTHHHH!" Then, before the other prosecutors came out to yell at me, I ran down the hall and rocketed inside his office. Gummy and Mr. Edgeworth were already waiting for me.

"Is it necessary to do that _every time_, Kay?" the prosecutor questioned. Not wanting to answer him, I turned my attention to the detective instead.

"Hi, Gummy! Any new cases?"

"Not right now. There just hasn't seemed to be anyone committing murder, pal!" he responded with a laugh. Mr. Edgeworth glared at him. "How's that friend of yours?"

"Oh, Ian?" I asked, deciding how to go about explaining it. Well, enforcers of the law, he's been very focused on hacking into corporate systems so that the Yatagarasu can prove their corruption. "He's been... working with computers a lot. That's the field he wants to go into."

"Who?" Mr. Edgeworth asked curiously.

"A friend of mine from school," I replied. "I knew him before the whole Alba thing."

"Well that's good," he said with a grin. "I was beginning to think that you spent too much time here to have any other friends." Oh, silly Mr. Edgeworth. "How do you know this boy, Gumshoe?"

"I met him when I went to her high school," Gumshoe replied with his big smile. "Some records were stolen." Mr. Edgeworth raised his brow and I tensed a little bit.

"Records? You mean student records?"

"Yes, sir!" For a split second, his eyes flashed to me.

"I see. And were they ever found?"

"Not that I know of." This time, the eyes rested on me. I didn't look at them.

"Interesting." Mr. Edgeworth sat up in his seat and looked at me more closely. "Say, Kay, you usually come here right after school. It got out two hours ago. What were you doing?"

"Hanging out with a couple of friends," I answered immediately. This time, I looked him straight in the eye.

"And what were you doing with these friends?"

"Just driving around. The driver could legally drive us, if that's what you're wondering." From the look on his face, I knew that wasn't what he was wondering at all. But I also knew that he wouldn't question me further right now.

"Well, that's nice, Kay. I hope you enjoy more time with friends such as those."

"Don't worry, Mr. Edgeworth," I assured. "I'm sure I'll be spending a lot of time with them." I began to edge out the door, wanting to leave now. "Sorry to just drop in, but I've got senior project stuff to do. I just wanted to say hi."

"Bye, Kay," Gummy said, sounding sad that I was leaving so soon.

"Have a good week, Kay," Mr. Edgeworth said as well, continuing to look at me. Yeah. He saw right through me. I left hastily, not wanting him to see anymore.

* * *

><p>Riah seemed a bit offended when everyone all admitted, scratching their necks and not looking her in the eye, that they'd never read one of her comics in the school's newspaper. In fact, no one paid much attention to the paper at all. I mean, <em>I <em>did, and I'd read one of her comics too, but no one seemed to acknowledge that. However, after the look on her face, we all decided that we'd go out of our way to see her work and praise her for it. Cody and I just happened to meet up on the way. Together, we walked up to the stand were they were kept and picked one up, giving the newspaper person a couple of dollars as she lazily drank her coffee.

"Something about senior projects... Funny article on singles on Valentine's Day... Hey, these aren't that bad! But where are Riah's comics?"

"There they are. Hey, wait a sec..." I read through the comic quickly- a quick thing about ducks making teenage girl faces-, but Cody seemed focused on the artwork.

"What's up with you?" I questioned. He was looking at the comic with more intensity than I'd seen in him before, kind of like he was about to go on a tangent about it.

"OH. MY. GOD." Taken aback by his sudden exclamation, I stepped back and took the paper with me. Cody didn't seem to approve, because he snatched it right back.

"Seriously, what's the matter with you?"

"This style!" he yelled, forcefully poking the picture. "It's so distinct and familiar! It's the style of Ethan Ryder, one of the most famous comic book artists of all time!" There was a pause.

"... What?"

"Ethan Ryder!" he said, exasperated. "He's a famous comic book artist known for his crime graphic novels! I've read, like, all of them! His also famous for his distinct style and the fact that no one knows _anything about him_. Don't you see, Kay? Riah's totally Ethan Ryder!" I sighed.

"Cody, just because her style's a kinda similar OH MY GOD YOU'RE RIGHT." It was in that moment I remembered her senior project: a crime graphic novel. The reason she joined the Yatagarasu. "That makes perfect sense! There's absolutely no way that she couldn't be."

"Couldn't be what?" Cody and I turned around and saw Ian, not blushing (wwwhhhhatttt?) and waiting to get a paper. "What are you talking about?"

"Ian, check it out!" Cody thrust the paper in his face and thus ended the longest non-blushing streak of Ian Cain.

"Um... okay..."

"This is Ethan Ryder's style!" Cody continued, a bit irritated that he had the same reaction I did.

"Well... okay?"

"Ian! It makes perfect sense!" I said for Cody. "Ethan Ryder's known for his crime comics. This looks exactly like his work. No one's ever seen his face. And, finally, Riah's senior project is to write a _crime comic_!" Ian looked at Cody and I, then sighed.

"Don't you think you may be... I don't know... jumping to conclusions?"

"What?!" I exclaimed, appalled. "Ian Cain, I _never _jump to conclusions!"

"Right... Seriously, though, what if Riah just looks up to this guy? Maybe she based her style off of him and decided to just write a comic like him, too." Cody and I looked at each other, his eyes all squinted, my mouth in a thoughtful pout.

"Nope. She's definitely Ethan Ryder." Ian sighed at Cody's reply. "C'mon, Kay! We need to investigate!"

"Right!" At that moment, the warning bell rang. A couple of kids started to make their way to class, but most just stayed where they were. "But what about class?"

"Screw class, our detective might be a best-selling comic book artist!" Cody exclaimed, pointing dramatically at the ceiling. A lot of people looked at us, but when they saw it was Cody they just turned around, a couple probably muttering "Freshman..."

"C'mon, guys... Just go to class..." Of course, Cody and I ignored Ian's plea and started towards the newspaper room. "Oh no..." And, a bit to my surprise, he didn't follow us but instead went to where he was supposed to go.

I'd never been in the newspaper room. I wasn't much of a writer. I'd have to get someone else to write out whatever the Yatagarasu sent to the press. Anyway, the room was basically just a bunch of computers with a board to write down ideas. I didn't look at them, but I bet they sucked.

"May I help you?" I snapped out of it and looked around. Not seeing anything, I looked down. A girl, even shorter than Cody, looked up at me, her arms crossed over what looked like an expensive, gray trenchcoat type thing with a pretty black pattern. It flared out a little under the hips and showed a pair of what was certainly designer skinny jeans and black, also expensive looking high- but not that high- heels. (She was in heels and still that short?) But her hair and her face seemed untouched. Red, maroon, yellow, gold strands fell gracefully from her scalp in nice, natural waves. Her face was dotted with little brown freckles that proved no make-up and her spring green eyes were framed by blonde, mascara-less eyelashes. But the way she talked... she sounded welcoming, but you could also tell that she was busy and a bit impatient.

"Yes," I replied, eyeing Cody. He was examining this girl closely. "Where's the editor?"

"Delilah Chiseler, Editor-in-Chief," she answered with a smile. "Once again, may I help you?"

"Hey, you can't be editor!" Cody objected. Delilah spun on him and cocked her brow.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged, looking him straight in the eye. I could see Cody getting uncomfortable just looking at her. "And why's that?"

"B-Because you're in a couple of my classes," he answered, but he certainly didn't sound as confident now. "You're a _freshman_."

"Says the boy who is always telling people not to push him around just because they're older," she countered, this time with a grin.

"Oh ho ho, Cody, she's got you there," I teased. He blushed, looked away, looked back, then looked away again. "Anyway, I was wondering about Riah Blake, your comic book artist."

"Oh, her," Delilah said, scratching her pointed chin. "I can tell you a little bit about her, but I just got promoted a couple weeks ago. She was already here by then. If I can recall, the newspaper ratings were plummeting miserably, and they wondered if a comic section would boost readers. They went into the art room, and I think they said that no one would do it so Riah volunteered, calling them something along the lines of 'bloody, uncreative wankers'...?"

"Gotcha," I answered, being able to confirm that that was definitely Riah. "Do you ever see her drawing them, or-" At that moment, the bell rang, and Delilah eyed us suspiciously.

"Shouldn't you be in your own classes?"

"How about this," I proposed, really wanting to get information on Riah but also not wanting to get into trouble, "I'm in the mood for gambling. You say very few people have been reading your paper, right?" Delilah shuffled uncomfortably.

"I guess so, yeah..."

"Okay. You finish telling us about Riah, and wait a bit to tell on us. If the number of readers you have increases by your next issue- or at least a day after your next issue-, you won't tell. If they don't you can rat us out to your heart's content." A bit to my surprise, Delilah seemed pretty interested. So she was a gambler. That was good.

"Okay," she replied. Looking at all her older underlings, she nodded towards a boxed off area. We entered what appeared to be her office. We kinda just stood there for a moment while she sorted through a couple of files. "Here we go. Riah Blake. You can look at the comics while I look at the record, if you want." Cody caught the file that she threw his way, and he began to excitedly sift through the comics. From the look of them, I could tell that they all looked like Ethan Ryder, just as the one today did.

"Is there anything new?" I asked the editor, though I was looking at the comics and not her.

"There are some comments left by Reggie Hoth, the old editor. However, she had quite the potty mouth, so I shall replace all of the curse words with the names of characters in classic literature." She _ahem_ed and began in a stoic, business-like voice. "'That mother-Tom Sawyering Jane Eyre never even shows up in the Mr. Darcy room. I just get here and her Quasimodo comics are on my Jim Hawkins desk. How does the British Catherine Earnshaw even get in the room? So much for this school and its Jean Valjean keys. When does she draw these? The rest of the Rhett Butler artists in this Cedric Errol school can't draw in a stick figure in a week, and here she is with an entire Scheherzade strip without even showing up! I mean, what the Alice Liddell?!'"

"Your censory skills are impeccable, Miss Editor!" I praised excitedly.

"Yes, they are," she said as she took the file back and placed the sullied papers back inside. "Well, is there anything else you need to know?"

"We're probably good for now," I replied, looking at the clock. We might be able to bluff our way into class if we left now. "Thanks."

"No problem," she said as she plopped down in her rolly chair and we began to take our leave. "But remember, if I don't get more readers by next issue-"

"Or the day after the next issue," I corrected. "You need room for flexibility." Delilah's eyes narrowed but she continued anyway.

"Right. Day after next issue, for flexibility. But if I don't have more readers by then, I'm reporting you."

"Yeah, I know." With that, I grabbed Cody's arm and we dashed out of the room.

"What all that day after crap?" he asked as we scurried to class.

"We have until the next issue of the newspaper to rob Blue Screens, get rid of evidence, and send it to the media." Cody's eyes widened.

"Why?"

"Because we're not just sending evidence to the New York Times. We'll be sending it to the Myren Bugle, and almost every other newspaper we can think of."

**Author's Note: I eventually had to pull out my 100 Classic Books DS game in the middle of that, because I ran out of classic literary characters to think of off the top of my head. And Cody and Kay's little investigation will continue on to the next chapter, and it'll probably only be one or two chapters after that until the robbery. After all, thanks to Kay and her brilliant ideas, they only have a week XD**

**Thanks for reading and please review! (Seriously, please review. I love you Alice, but it'd be nice if someone else reviewed, too.)**


	12. Pilot: Part 8

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Okay. So no. That's cool though, I really just enjoy writing this.**

**WAIT. WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT. Atroquinine Deadly, thanks for not making me feel like no one was reading this! I highly recommend ****Pride and Prejudice****, it's a great book. Seriously, though, thanks for the review :)**

**Alice, loyal Alice! I'm glad Delilah was cool. She becomes a big character later on, and I'd been struggling with her personality. It kinda came out like Eric's; I just typed and that's what came out. It doesn't take much brain power to read 50 Shades of Gray, I'm sure that he's moved onto Twilight by now.**

**Thank you very much, drebom! I wouldn't mind introducing Ema for the while, but she can't stay because, according to AAI, she's in Europe studying abroad at this point. But I'll defintiely keep that in mind :)**

**I'm sorry great readers of fanfiction, I doubted you. *hangs head in shame and walks away to grow mushroom farm***

**Disclaimer: And these disclaimers are so boring without being able to use them to talk about mine and Dodgerjoey's new world. I don't know how to deal with this! (That's right guys. I just made **_**another **_**Soul Eater reference after, like, three months.)**

Chapter 12

Cody and I didn't want to risk missing any more classes for our investigation, but we found each other seconds after the final bell rang.

"Hey!" I greeted. "So, what do we do-"

"Hey!" Eric was the one who said this, and he easily was able to plow through the crowd to get to us. "Katana told me that Union Jack might be stupid rich! I came as soon as I could."

"Union Jack?" I asked, irritated. "Since when is it that?"

"If she _is _Ethan Ryder, I'll screw the British references and call her something that has to do with art. Now come, to my car!" All of us rushed to his van, where Reese was tapping her foot.

"Hey Reese!" I called out.

"Oh, yeah, I invited Checkers, too."

"I told you not to call me that," she said, glaring at him.

"Yay!" I exclaimed. "We can have a whole party! All we need is Ian. Where is he?"

"I've got him, too," Eric explained. "He should be here any minute now." My eyes narrowed.

"How is it that you always seem to gather everyone when I can't?"

"I've told you, Raven, I have my ways." Sure enough, Ian jogged over to the car and readjusted his hat.

"I saw Riah in the art room on the way out," he told us. "She looked pretty absorbed in whatever she was drawing in that sketchbook of her's. But there were, like, four others stacked up next to her." Lightbulb.

"Let's steal them!" I suggested excitedly.

"Steal them?" Reese asked, seeming astonished that I'd even suggest such a thing.

"Yeah. I mean, stealing a couple of sketchbooks is nothing compared to robbing a big-name computer company."

"Well, yeah, but Riah's our friend!" Reese insisted. "Anyway, I've been trying to say this, Kay. I think that you and Cody might have been... overreacting."

"I NEVER overreact!" Cody yelled, pointing to the shy.

"Uh... right. Seriously though, what do you have to go off of here?"

"Her style is distinct and similar to Ethan Ryder's," I replied smugly. Reese looked away, irritated.

"Maybe she just likes his style and learned to draw by it."

"She draws a lot of mystery comics like him!"

"She wanted to base her genre off of him, too."

"No one's ever seen his face!"

"Kay, it's very common among authors and artists not to use their real name if they're not seeking fame."

"Dang it, Reese, stop being so logical!" Now it was my turn to look away angrily. "It's her. I'm sure of it." Reese looked at me a bit longer- she had one of _those_ looks, probably a look that she stared down her opponent in chess with- before sighing.

"Okay. If it means that much to you, I'll help you with your little investigation."

"Yay!" I exclaimed once again. "Okay, so here's what we'll do. Ian, you said she was really engrossed in her drawing, right?"

"Well... yeah. I called out to her and she didn't answer."

"That makes me less confident in that department. Your calling isn't exactly head-turning. Well, I'll go back to the art room and grab one of her sketchbooks anyway. If we're lucky, we'll get to put it back before she notices."

"Pfft, like _that's _gonna happen," Cody mocked. "You chose her because she never missed anything, right?"

"You can never know when she's drawing," I replied, narrowing my eyes. "We'll proceed as planned. I'll do the stealing. You guys can come or stay here. Got it?"

"I'll go with you," Ian stated.

"Me too!" Cody said enthusiastically. "Even if Kay gets caught, that'll be entertaining!"

"I'll stay here," Reese said, and this time I knew that she legitimately didn't want to come.

"Me too," Eric agreed. "You book it down here after you've got the sketchbook, got it?"

"You don't need to tell me twice," I murmured as we began to make our way back to the school.

The art room wasn't far from the exit, so it wasn't hard to find. The door was ajar, and if you took the time to look inside you'd see Riah's back, bent forward as she furiously moved her pencil. Just as Ian had said, a couple of sketchbooks were stacked up next to her, sitting filled with drawings and almost asking to be stolen. The one on top was hanging off to the side just enough that I could go in and get it quickly, possibly without being noticed. I also saw a bookshelf with a few other similar sketchbooks on it. I made it my priority to at least get to that bookshelf before she discovered me; that way, I could slide it on and hopefully she wouldn't notice.

"Godspeed, my friend," Cody whispered to me, saluting. I saluted back and crept into the art room.

It was completely empty besides Riah, completely still besides her quick hand. With every step I took, it felt as if I was shaking the very foundation of the Earth. I knew, of course, that in reality I was making next to no noise, thanks to a technique that I'd been perfecting since I read it in Dad's journals. Nothing about Riah moved except her hands, and I got an even better look as I got closer. Her eyes shifted across the page as her pencil danced expertly, but everything else was completely rigid. If I hadn't known it was her, I might've thought her still figure to be an impressive statue left by the art students. Praying that she kept her statue-like stance, I brought my hand up as quickly and quietly as I could and swept the book, so fast that even Riah's observant eyes didn't catch it.

It took a moment for me to realize that I'd actually pulled it off, and I almost made the awful mistake of making a noise. Luckily, I was able to hold it in and dashed towards the door. And I almost made it.

"Kay?" I spun around, throwing the book onto the shelf and hoping she wouldn't notice. She didn't; she was in the middle of turning. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," I improvised. "But I see your busy. It's cool."

"No, it's fine," she replied, putting down her pencil. "What do you need?"

"Uh..." I could feel Ian and Cody's face-palms behind me, and Riah's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I just wanted to tell you that I thought your comic today was cool."

"Oh," she said, her eyes still narrowed. "Thanks." We stared each other down for a moment. It was like watching someone judge you about everything possible. "Well, if that's all, I need to get back to work."

"Right, right, you do that." I turned to leave, looking back at Riah. She turned back around to her picture, the pencil in her hand before she was even settled. She didn't notice the missing sketchbook. I grabbed it off the shelf and ran down the hall.

As Eric had instructed, we booked it down the hall. I didn't even stop to wait for Ian and Cody. When they saw me running their way, they started, too. It wasn't long before we were in the parking lot, going so fast that we felt like we couldn't even stop. Eric and Reese must've noticed this, because they opened the doors for us and we just jumped in.

"Got it!" I yelled as they shut the door and jumped into the front seats. "Cody, come look at it. You're the Ethan Ryder expert." Cody snatched the book up eagerly, and fingered through it with his face etched with wonder. Everyone crowded around him, as if that would somehow answer all our questions. Finally, Eric was getting irritated.

"God, Katana, is she Ethan Ryder or not?!" Cody stopped on a page in the middle of what appeared to be some kind of fight scene between gang members.

"This is exactly like Issue 5, when it appears that rival gang members have killed each other's leaders, but it's actually-"

"So is it or is it not?" Reese and I pressed at the same time.

"I repeat: EXACTLY LIKE ISSURE 5 WHEN IT APP-"

"Gotcha!" I yelled again. "So she's Ethan Ryder. Unless a certain way-too-logical chess player is ready to countteract that."

"She could've just copied down that page, but even I must admit that would be a bit obsessive. What do you suggest our next move to be?" Oh no. Everyone was looking at me expectantly again.

"Uh... um... Does anyone know where she lives?" I mean, what else was I supposed to do?

"Of course," Eric said, stomping the pedal and sending us flying into our seats. "I've dropped her off, remember?" He expertly zigzagged out of the school parking lot, barely giving us enough time to buckle ourselves in before he swerved onto the road. It seemed to take us next to no time to get to our destination. Riah's house was, of course, in the suburbs where we all seemed to live. It was white with little flowers but perfect grass.

"Did you know that we spend more money irrigating our lawns than crops?" Ian said, much to the surprise of everyone else.

"That's interesting, Paperboy," Eric said. Even he sounded befuddled.

"What?!" Cody exclaimed. "That's ridiculous!"

"It really is..."

"GOAL," I yelled, getting everyone back on track. We all but fell out of the car and awkwardly crowded onto the small front porch. I took the initiative to knock. The door, after about thirty seconds, was answered by tall, tan woman with long, curly brown hair. She didn't look like Riah at all.

"May I help you?" No wonder she didn't look like Riah; they weren't related. This woman had an American accent.

"Hello," I greeted, mentally noting that she was an exchange student. She had said she'd been friends with Reese in middle school; how long had she been here? "We're friends with Riah and wanted to talk to her. Is she home?"

"No," the woman replied, looking inside the same way Desiree had. Maybe she had kids, too? No, Riah wouldn't live there if that was the case. "She's staying after school to get some drawing done." The woman looked at her watch, silver with large, black letters. "She should be home soon. Her room's upstairs, second room on the left. You can wait there if you want to."

"Thank you," I said as she moved aside and let us in.

"Just tell me if you need anything," she instructed, walking in the other direction.

"Actually, I could use-" I cut Cody off with an elbow to the ribs and we began to make our way upstairs. Thanks to the American lady's instructions, we found her room and opened the door. The walls had paint lines all over them, as if Riah had swiped at them once and decided that she didn't like the colors. Over some of the lines were sketches, tacked there with comments in red pen. There were books everywhere, which was surprising considering the fact that her bookshelf was overflowing. There was a drafting table, and right next to it a computer with a laptop and tablet.

"Ian, hack," I commanded. He obediently pulled the rolly chair out, opened the computer, and began to work his magic. Stepping over books and scarves (it just now occured to me how much she wore scarves), we all looked on. It took him next to no time to get past her password, but to our surprise, she had a lock on a certain file of her computer.

"That's definitely it," Cody said eagerly.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that she'd have her sketches in her sketchbooks, out in the open, when these files are locked up?" Reese asked.

"Maybe not," I replied, not looking at her but instead at Ian, who was already working on the next password. "Who would look for Ethan Ryder drawings in a high school art room?" It took a bit longer, but Ian was able to crack it. Cody all but pushed him out of the chair to look at the pages and pages of comics. He did exactly what he did before; he looked at it for a while while the rest of us waited to hear what he had to say.

"Well?" To our surprise, this came from Reese.

"I've never seen these before," Cody said quietly. He clicked the arrow that brought us to the next picture. Only one thing stuck out to me: "Written and Drawn by Ethan Ryder".

"Holy. Crap." Eric muttered.

"What _excellent_ friends I have." Everyone spun around and came face to face with Riah, leaning against the doorframe. "What did you do, break into my house?"

"What do you take me for?" I asked, offended. "Some sort of petty thief?"

"You _are_ a petty thief," Riah insisted, even more irritated than I was.

"Am not! I'm a professional!" Riah sighed and walked over to the computer, slamming it shut and mumbling to Ian: "Traitor." Poor guy. He was gonna feel bad about this for _forever_.

"No, we didn't break in, your... person that you're staying with let us in!" Riah huffed, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Diana, why'd you tell strangers to come to my room?" Finally, she turned back to us. "Alright, a fair caught. I'm Ethan Ryder. I knew you'd find out eventually." She smirked. "Congratulations, this took a lot less time than I thought."

"You underestimate the Yatagarasu," I grinned.

"I guess I did. Well, since you figured it out, I want to show you something." She threw her head in the direction of the door. "Everyone, to Eric's car! That is, unless you guys eventually want a driver of some sort. But I prefer not to be so... frivolous."

* * *

><p>"Not frivolous," Reese repeated. "You're funny, Riah."<p>

"Hey, I didn't even buy this," she defended. "The Blakes are a well-off family back in England. We liked Los Angeles, so we bought this house. Nice, isn't it?" Heck yeah it was nice. The lake house was huge, with lots of glass walls and high ceilings and a hammock that was big and looked as comfy as an actual bed (but more expensive). "Suddenly, I found that my silly little comics were becoming best-sellers and I was getting lots and lots of royalties. So I bought it for a great price. It _was _from my parents, though."

"Can we go inside?" Cody squeaked.

"No, Freshie. We came here to stare at it and then kayak. Yes, you can go inside!" We all almost trampled each other trying to get to the door, only to find it was locked and embarassingly wait for a smirking Riah to open it for us.

The inside was even better. The trees seperated the light coming through the windows in the most gorgeous way, sending random spotlights shining on the expensive, stylish decorations. A long, spiral, cast-iron staircase extended from the back of the foyer, going up and down. Cody dashed to it and went down, yelled about how awesome the basement was, dashed upstairs, yelled how awesome _it _was, then scurried back down and repeated himself. We all began to meander around, staring in awe of the nice things. But my eyes were attracted to the huge maple door, stretching from floor to ceiling and intricately carved, right past the staircase.

"You have a good eye, Kay." I slowly turned my head and saw Riah examining the carvings. "I love this house- how could you not?- but I must say this room's my favorite." She raised her eyebrows and pointed to the door. "Care to go in?" I nodded, not really aware of what I was doing. With a little difficulty, Riah pulled the door opened and I stepped inside.

It was a library. But not a couple of bookshelves and a bean bag chair to read in library, oh no. You know that library in _Beauty and the Beast _that the Beast wins Belle over with? Yeah, she probably would've fainted at this one. The bookshelves were high and almost completely filled with books of every kind. Old books, new books, books in different languages, comic books. There was a table here and there with an old-fashioned lamp, as well as recliners and the grandest fireplace I'd ever seen. Everything was a dark, chocolate brown, the entire atmosphere making me want to shun society and read for the rest of my life.

"Hey guys, what are you OH MY GOD!" Reese came in and stared at the library with me, and I could tell our expressions were pretty similar. Her eyes wandered to a chessboard that was on a round table with two low chairs, made for bending over. Even without any knowledge of chess or even getting a very good look at it, I could tell it was old and thought "This must've belonged to an important person!" Everyone straggled in after her, and Riah was obviously taking pleasure in our expressions.

"One moment, if you would," she said, walking over to a bookshelf. She examined the books for a moment before pulling on one. The shelf sprung outwards, revealing a room inside.

"No way!" I exclaimed, running to it. "What... why...?"

"Love, if I have millions of pounds and _don't _buy a bookshelf with a hidden room, I need someone else to handle my money. Come in, if you would." She didn't need to ask us twice. We all crowded in, but a bit to our disappoint, it was empty except a drafting table.

"My secret drawing room," she explained. "However, I say that we can _easily_ beat Ron in the awesome hideout department."

"HECK TO THE YES!" I yelled, the plans for the best Yatagarasu hideout ever forming in my mind. "Are you serious? Can we do anything?"

"Fortunately, money isn't much of an issue for me. The only requirement is that the drafting table stays."

"I can work with that."

**Author's Note: I got this idea in math class last year. I don't really remember what brought it on, but I just thought to myself "You know, Riah should be a famous comic book artist." I wasn't complaining though because a) I really liked the idea and b) I really didn't want to think about math, so I was able to keep my mind occupied.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	13. Pilot: Part 9

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: I'm really glad you liked the way it turned out, drebom. Do you have any suggestions as to how you want the room furnished? I honestly haven't given it that much thought.**

**I could too, Atroquinine Deadly. Honestly, she was the only one out of any of them that I could actually imagine being rich on their own. I mean, any of them could have rich parents (granted, she has those, too), but she just seems like the only one that could make a ton of money on her own.**

**That's happened to me before, Maquerea. It didn't look very interesting, but I read it and it was AWESOME! And thank you so much, compliments to my grammar and vocabulary are some of my favorite ones! But I'm sorry, I don't quite understand the question. Are you asking if Edgeworth's going to be annoying and report Kay, or if he's going to be annoying and try to get her to confess, or...?**

**... Alice...? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the AA series.**

Chapter 13

Why can't there be some sort of magazine for thieves wanting to furnish their own hideout? I mean, there's a magazine for every other freaking thing, why are _we _so discriminated against?... Yes, I'm joking. Kind of.

Anyway, I ended up leaving a lot of the decorating to Riah because she knew how to convert pounds into dollars and knew where to look. And looking back through my dad's journals, this was the only thing he didn't give advice on, so I was pathetically clueless. However, I knew it was going to be totally awesome based on our combined efforts, so I just left it to my British friend and the movers that were bribed to be quiet about some of our more suspicious purchases. I mean, it's not like we were Phineas and Ferb.

We eventually decided on a date: September 15th. For the week leading up to the big day, everything went great. Cody got the big role of Gavroche in the school production of Les Miserables, which he was really excited about and didn't surprise any of us. (He also assured us that he would be able to make meetings since he and Mr. Haestrom were both well aware that he already knew the part by heart from watching and listening to other performances.) Also, despite all the practices he had missed, Eric did fantastic at the first football game, which I snuck everyone into afterwards and we all acted like we'd been there the entire time. (Us? Football? What?) Really, the only bad news was that Ian's mother was still unemployed, but we'd at least be able to avenge her old job soon enough.

It wasn't until September 14th that things started getting a little hairy.

We were all super jittery about what was going to go down that Saturday, and I'd met up with everyone but Eric to go over the plans for the billionth time. As we searched for out final team member, Reese went over all the things she foresaw for the robbery. And yes, she used the word "foresee." She used it a lot, and when Cody finally asked about it she blushed and said that it came from when her grandfather taught her how to play chess, when he drilled it into her head that she needed to "foresee" her opponent's moves. After this explanation, we found Eric with his teammates, who were pumping each other up for the game that night.

"Hey Eric!" I called. All his friends shut up and he smiled at me.

"Hey, Raven! What's up?"

"We need to talk," I answered, quieter now that I didn't have to yell over so many people.

"Sure, I'm coming," he replied, making his way out of the circle encasing him.

"Oh my God, Eric, why are you hanging out with them?" The obnoxious statement came from the normal voice of Tatty Johnson, a cheerleader. Contrary to popular opinion, the head cheerleader wasn't annoying in my school. In fact, she was pretty cool, since she commanded total authority and often got brats like Tatty to shut up when they were making fun of people.

"Why wouldn't I?" Eric asked, cocking his brow. Tatty chewed her gum loudly and leaned against him, which he obviously didn't like and pulled away. I recall seeing Reese clench her fist, something the calm girl never did.

"Because they're _losers_," she replied, eyeing us condescendingly. By now, a bunch of cheerleaders and a couple of football players were behind her, obviously on her side. Eric, who had more than once told us how cool we were, smirked and said:

"Pray tell." I was Tatty's first victim.

"Look at her clothes! They're super weird, and she's super clingy to her dad. After all, she talks about him _all the time_." Her cronies chimed in agreement.

"You've already insulted my clothes," I replied, annoyed. "If you're going to insult me again, at least think of something new. Oh, and my dad was murdered when I was ten." Oh my gosh, you should've seen their _faces_! Oh, it was priceless! I had a hard time keeping my laughter in, but I could practically hear Dad next to me. Tatty moved to her next target: Ian.

"I mean, look at him! He's such a wimp! I bet he's scared of everything he sees!"

"I'm scared of you when you're supposed to be cheering but are acting like a stripper instead," he backfired, immediately covering his mouth. Everyone was astonished by his reply, the Yatagarasu most of all. His face turned a bright red as Tatty scowled and moved on to Riah, but I heard him snicker as I fistbumped him.

"Look at her. She's judging all of us, thinking that we're just a couple of _fat_-" she said this as if it were a sin "- Americans and charming everyone with her awful accent."

"You're right," Riah said with a smile. "I've told your beloved Eric and others that I think Americans are obnoxious more than once. Excluding them, of course. Though I must say, a couple names come to mind when I think about it." Riah smiled a sweet, evil smile. "And do you really think that my accent is awful, love?" The look on the cheerleader's face answered that question.

"And a _freshman_? Really, Eric? I mean, his picture is next to 'social suicide' in the dictionary!" Everyone but Cody literally burst out laughing when she dared to attempt to insult him.

"Is that _really _what you're trying to lower my self-esteem with?!" he exclaimed. "You are correct in your observation that I am a freshman, oh _wise oracle of the universe_! Even Riah was able to make the term slightly insulting by referring to me as 'Freshie'! And social suicide in the dictionary? Are you kidding me? Social suicide is _two words_, making it a term and not a word, so therefore the dictionary would not most certainly not have it listed as one since Merriam Webster actually possessed brain cells! Geez, for an upperclassman, you sure are dumb!" Everyone stood there, dumbfounded, and Eric advised them:

"Don't insult Katana. He can do much worse." Tatty shook this fabulous rebuttal off and honed in on her final target: Reese. Her words echoed in my mind: "So I just make it easier for them." I was already determining if I was fast enough to beat the brat up without anyone seeing me.

"Oh, and then there's Reese Emmitt." If I timed it just right and there were no obstacles... "The antisocial chess player, always having to play as the powerful, adored queen because she knows that, in real life, no one would really love her and therefore she has power over no one. She's just an emotionless, ugly pawn, sitting hunched over a chess board and hoping that a knight will come save her but knowing that it won't be so." As many people could see me as they wanted, she wasn't getting away with that. My eyes wandered to Reese at the end of the line. She was looking straight at Tatty, but then had to bowed her head. "That's right, cry, bit-"

"I'm Jewish." Everyone, the Yatagarasu, the jocks, and all the people that had gathered to watch the drama unfold as a statue-esque Eric, also with his head down, steadily but powerfully said this.

"What?" Tatty asked in a way that said "I'm busy making someone cry and therefore feeling like I'm actually worth something, so shut up."

"I'm Jewish," he said, lifting his head up. Oh, crap, he was _angry_. "Did any of you know that?" None of the jocks said anything. "I've been Jewish my entire life. You've been my friends- or at least, I thought you'd been my friends- for a long time, and none of you knew that." He moved over towards us. "Riah, who has been my friend for less than a month, told me that she didn't know when Rosh Hashanah was this year and asked when it was so she didn't accidentally make conflicting plans. I told her nothing. And I'm pretty sure that Ian, Reese, and Cody all knew, too. Isn't that right, guys?"

"I was afraid you'd think I was rude if I asked..." Ian replied.

"Same here," Reese added, in a slightly cracked voice.

"How could you _not _know?!" Cody reprimanded. "I mean, look at him! Dark, curly hair, big nose, I was fairly certain the second I saw him, and he's always leaving early on Fri-"

"He knew, too," Eric interrupted. I'm just glad he didn't mention me, because I had no idea.

"What does that have to do with anything?" This was the first thing Jason Young, Eric's best friend, had said the entire time, and he sounded worried.

"I'm saying that all of you claim to be my friends and yet you haven't seen me," he replied. With that, he began a slow, dramatic, and totally epic walk away. Eric walked past us, but backtracked and faced Reese. And then- get this- he kissed her. Like, pulled her in and planted one right on the lips. You could practically hear the simaltaneous jaw-dropping of those in the hallway. When he pulled away, he looked as suave as ever and she was as surprised as the rest of us.

"I... I didn't foresee that," she admitted in a quiet voice. Eric laughed and messed with her hair.

"Well, Checkers, I'm an unpredictable guy." And then Eric Weisner finished what he started, and walked away with all the wide, surprised eyes on him. When he was gone, nobody had moved and all the cheerleaders, Tatty especially, turned towards the "ugly pawn" and stared at her. Reese quickly composed herself, as she always does, and said to them:

"It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, but I advise you stay away from me now." She was the second to leave, and said what she wanted to say with such authority that Tatty wasn't the third.

* * *

><p>My phone: <em>Meet the lake house at midnight tonight.<em>

Reese's phone: _Why midnight?_

Ian's phone:_ Uh, why midnight?_

Riah's phone:_ Okay!_

Cody's phone:_ why midnight_

Eric's phone:_ c'mon, raven, i'll have just finished a game!_

My phone: _Because I'M the leader and I say it's midnight, so come or you won't get to come into the new hideout tomorrow! _

That got 'em.

* * *

><p>My stepfather was a light sleeper but away on a business trip. My mother was a heavy sleeper and left her keys on the same peg near the door every night. It wasn't hard to sneak past her room and drive off without her noticing.<p>

I'd gotten my license the second I was eligible, waiting for either something like this or something like what happened with Mr. Edgeworth at Gatewater Land. Either way, it was proving to be extremely helpful since it was legal for me to drive after midnight and I miraculously remembered the way to the lake house. I was, unsurprisingly, the last one to arrive and no one seemed to happy about it.

"I had to leave a celebration party early for this," Eric muttered to me, still in his jersey.

"Oh, right, like you wanted to hang out with the nutty jocks that made your pretty chess player friend cry any longer than you had to." And from his expression, I deduced that he just wanted something to whine about.

"We can't use the hideout yet," Riah informed right as I opened my mouth to yell "TO THE HIEDOUT!"

"Bu... Wha... Why?" I whined.

"Because it's not done yet. I said it'd be finished by _tomorrow_, but you never mentioned anything about a last-minute midnight meeting." I blew a strand of hair out of my face, irritated.

"Well okay. Is there a room we _can _use?"

"I have a conference room."

"Wha- why do you have a conference room?"

"In case I want to hold any conferences."

"Yes, but why-"

"Can we just go to the freaking conference room?!" Cody yelled. After all, he needed sleep more than the rest of us.

"Yes, we can use the conference room!" I replied, not wanting people to yell at me. "Riah, can you lead the way?"

"Sure, mate." We followed her up the staircase and into a long, cream-colored room with a mahaogany table and eight matching chairs. Everyone took a seat while I stood at the end. When everyone looked sufficiently settled and impatient, I slammed my hands on the table and successfully scared them all into alertness.

"Alright, listen," I began, reminding myself a little of a general in the army. "The last Yatagarasu had absolutely everything needed to make a successful thief- except one thing. Trust. And it was this lack of trust that got my father killed and the team disbanded. That's why I've called all of you here tonight. I want us all to trust each other, know everything about one another, so that I can feel that history won't repeat itself. So we're going to play a game. We're going to play Midnight Confessions."

"You do realize that Midnight Confessions doesn't _have _to take place at midnight, right?" Reese interjected. "We could've played before the robbery."

"No we couldn't have!" I said, dramatically pointing at the ceiling. "It has to happen now! I'll go first." I took my seat, leaned back, and propped my feet up on the table. "My name is Katherine Elizabeth Faraday. I know, great name, right? My parents got divorced when I was seven, but they still kept in touch and I was able to see a fair amount of both of them. I will admit, though, that I often preferred my dad's house because he was a prosecutor- a Hero of Justice, if you will-, and I got to watch him in trial. And then, during a murder trial, he was murdered as well. It was then that Miles Edgeworth, a prosecutor prodigy, found his murderer and one of the three members of the Yatagarasu.

"Before moving to permanently live with my mother and stepdad, I secretly packed all of my dad's old journals- he'd showed me where he hid them before- without reading them. When I did, I discovered an astonishing thing: my father was what he'd been accused of at his last trial, the Yatagarasu. Ever since then, I've wanted to be the Yatagarasu as well and carry on his legacy. But there was something else I wanted to do, too.

"Last March, I helped Miles Edgeworth, the man that caught my father's killer, uncover a member of a smuggling ring. And not long after that, we found it's leader and the woman that killed my father. It was also that day that I fully realized that there were three in the Yatagarasu. My father was a member of a team, so I needed to do that, too. My mother had since moved back to L.A., as you can see, and I had a new school with lots of promise. So I stole the student records, found all the things necessary for such a team, and now my father lives." I sat down and everyone stared for a while.

"I'll go," Ian said quietly. We all waited for him to begin. "My family moved here from South Carolina when my aunt came to make movies. I was eleven, and... well... easily influenced. On the plane, there was this... flight attendant. I can't even recall if she... you know... had any clothes on at all. Anyway, that scarred me for life... now I often think of her and blush when I see girls. It really... wasn't a good time."

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh," we all said at the same time.

"Yeah. Anyway, this kept me from ever getting a girlfriend... or really wanting to be around them, for that matter. I eventually got over my general fear of girls, but I still didn't like hanging out with them. So when all my friends turned into... well... normal teenage boys, I started to hang out with them less. I became a bit of a loner. Finally, Kay came to the school and sat next to me at lunch, complimented my hat, and we were friends from then on."

"Oh, Ian," I cooed as I got up and hugged him. I felt the heat radiate off his face.

"Oh yeah. And my mom got fired from her job even though she's a computer genius. But... I think you know that part."

"Me next!" Cody yelled, forgetting his tiredness. "So I was a pretty obnoxious kid. I got that from my mom, who was also pretty obnoxious. But I also had this awesome vocabulary and general intelligence thanks to my dad, who retained everything anyone ever told him and passed it on to me. This didn't exactly make me popular with anyone. My teachers said I needed someone to look up to. And I found him when I was still really young." Cody did as I had done earlier, where he kicked up his feet and leaned back, and looked dreamily upwards. "The Steel Samurai. Best thing that ever happened to me. But my mom- the obnoxious one- didn't like my new obsession. She didn't want me to watch the show, and got mad at my dad when he took me to the theme park.

"That's when friends started sounding useful. I went to their houses and watched the show there, as well as whenever my mom wasn't looking at my house. I also found ways to go to the live performances, and even got my hands on a katana. But even this didn't satisfy me. My mother insisted on me abandoning these childish whims, so I did a very grown-up thing and started sneaking onto the set. It was on one of these trips that I watched the absolute worst thing that a Steel Samurai fan could see: Steel Samurai, defeated by the Evil Magistrate. It was terrible! Imagine, watching your hero fall in such a dishonorable way! So, when asked to testify in court for the murder of the Evil Magistrate, I lied and said my hero won.

"Alas, I was caught. My little mind couldn't resist the thought of not having the Ultra Rare Premium cards, and that was my downfall. Granted, my mom and dad bailed me out of jail pretty quickly, and I got the same anti-Samurai rant from my mom that I'd already gotten a ton of times. So basically, nothing changed. I even sneaked onto the set of the new show, _Pink Princess_, but then I saw Steel Samurai's face and... ughhhhhh... I mean, seriously?! I kept a couple of my friends, but I really just kinda went under the radar after that. I joined drama because my dad thought I'd make a good actor, and I liked him. Then Kay offered me this job and I was like 'Yeah, excitement!' And that's that."

"Alright, it's my turn," Riah interjected. "Mine's fairly simple. I was born into a wealthy family, since my parents had positions that ended in O's in a certain oil company. Oil was nice, I suppose, but it was so _messy._ I didn't want to do that. In fact, the main thing I liked about it was the way it shimmered, so I started drawing it. Then I started drawing other stuff, too, and eventually my mum found my pictures and liked them. She told me to continue, maybe draw an entire book, and with her help my first comic was published just shy of my eleventh birthday, under the name of Ethan Ryder. I became a foreign exchange student in L.A., one of my favorite places, not long after that, and the rest is history." I squinted.

"That's kinda short for an entire life," I said. She shrugged.

"Maybe my life just isn't as exciting as you thought it would be."

"I'll go," Eric said before I could probe further. "I met my best friend Jason Young when we were in third grade and ended up sitting near each other at a football game. There was this crazy lady next to me, screaming and cursing and yelling. Finally, my dad just had to tell my mother to calm down, and we thought it was the funniest thing.

"We thought it so funny, in fact, that we wanted to see it more. Unfortunately, neither of our families had enough money to satisfy our needs, so we joined a football team ourselves. It wasn't exactly thought through, since we didn't ever get to see her freak out, but we _did _find something we both loved. So we kept at it, and we became friends with the other players over the years, but it was always the two of us. And it still is. After the game today, a bunch of the guys came over and apologized for not defending you guys and for being crappy friends. So I gave them a second chance."

"That's cool," I said for everyone. "It feels good to forgive and to give second chances. Alright, Reese, you're the last one." She sat up straighter in her chair.

"I'll begin by saying that my life wasn't that exciting until I learned to play chess," she started honestly. "Thankfully, that was pretty early on. My grandfather, a seasoned player, told me he'd play me when I was five. I beat him in five moves. That was a bit of a lucky break, because he did manage to best me a few times after that. The man taught me everything I know about the game, and for that, I will always be thankful." She sank a little deeper into her chair and the dreamy expression that had been on her face vanished. "Unfortunately, that was the _only _thing I was good at. I got okay grades, but I was _awful _at any sort of physical activity. I had a couple of friends, Riah included, but I still got teased a lot.

"So one day, I was being harrassed by a group of smarter, more athletic, and better looking people, and I just got so mad that I challenged them to a chess game. You see, I hadn't told anyone about my skills because my brother- he ran away when he was fifteen- told me they'd just make fun of me more. So there they all were, staring at me condescendingly, and they picked out the smartest person in their little clique- a terrible cliche, that smart people are the best at chess- and we sat at the board in the middle school library. I had two thirds of her pieces in three minutes.

"But that didn't stop them. They still made fun of me, now calling me a showoff and much worse names. And I didn't understand. I mean, they still acted as if I was no good at anything, even though I'd already proven that I was a chess prodigy, and I always used reason when trying to make them go away. And it was that summer, the summer before high school, that I realized what the issue was. There wasn't one. So when I returned to school I never voiced my opinion, didn't try to reason, and let people talk to me and treat me however they wanted. I mean, I just wanted people to like me, or at least not make fun of me anymore. And if my personality and my talents turned them off, I supposed I should just have niether. All I did was sit at the chess board, bettering myself until I am the player I am now and I don't think I can get any better. Now I have my personality, too. And I admit, it's much more enjoyable."

And so ended Midnight Confessions.

"Alright," I concluded with a yawn. "Meeting adjourned. Sleep now so you can be wide awake tomorrow night."

**Author's Note: Next chapter is the burglary, I promise! Then there'll probably only be one more chapter before the part ends. **

**So yay chapters that end up being super long. Man, I'd been waiting forever to do that scene with Eric and Reese. Finally, I got to it!**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	14. Pilot: Part 10

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Alright drebom, you should be an interior decorator for thieves. I'm gonna use those ideas. Thank you! :)**

**Alice! Alice Alice Alice! I got really worried when you didn't review... yay secret rooms! And yeah... I've always liked Reese and Eric, and I was orginally only gonna hint at it, but then I thought of this... when this amount of cute enters my mind, it's going down on paper. Or computer screens.**

**Thank you, sakarigirl! That makes me feel good, because I was worrying about my backgrounds.**

**ROBBERIES FTDUBS!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own AA.**

Chapter 14

_Lake House, 10:30_

This was all I sent out to the Yatagarasu Saturday morning, but I was fairly certain most of them would be there by 10. I knew I was; Riah said the hideout was done, and I'd been dying to see it since she said "Love, if I have millions of pounds and _don't _buy a bookshelf with a hidden room, I need someone else to handle my money."

I told my mom that I was having a sleepover at Riah's, which wasn't really a lie, since I'd be sleeping at the lake house with her and Reese. She let me borrow the car, as long as I promised that I'd be at church the next day. I did truthfully, for there was something I planned on doing tomorrow morning.

I was fairly certain that, if he had been able to drive himself, Cody would've been at the house that morning before I had. I was beginning to think that he'd done so anyway, when I saw an unfamiliar car in the driveway. Before I could check the inside for any Cody-like objects, however, Riah appeared in the doorway and beckoned me inside. I followed her through the amazing lakehouse. It was even more amazing in the morning, with the surrounding leaves reflecting rainbows through the windows.

We stopped in front of the mahogany door, about to enter what was my favorite room in the house, too. Riah yanked it open and I was greeted by the smell of leather and ink. I didn't notice it before. She grinned at me as she rested her hand on a book. Riah's hand moved so I could see the cover. It was _The Adventures of Robin Hood._

"It was orginally some book of poetry, but I had it outfitted for the occasion," she explained. Then, she pulled it and I got my first glance at the room.

Screw the library, this was the coolest hideout ever! On one wall was a giant, shiny screen, surrounded by a number of other smaller screens. They were black and smooth, and didn't have a single fingerprint sullying their perfect surfaces. A table and normal keyboard was hooked up to it, and a rolling chair for whoever was to operate the intimidating contraption.

"This is Reese's toy," Riah said with a grin. She began pointing out the certain screens. "The big one's will have the entire layout of whatever floor you're on, along with a dot representing you and other dots representing any guards we can pick up. The other one's are for the security cameras, which Ian should be able to hack into. He's promised that he has gadgets that can show us all of this."

"I bet he does..." I wasn't capable of saying much more than that at the moment. Turning around, I saw a couple of comfy chairs, and a little table with a chess board on it.

"In case Reese gets bored," Riah said. "Or if Ian wants to make stuff. Just do whatever." On that same wall was a bookshelf with all the books we'd "borrowed" from Ron (he was a fellow thief, he knew he wasn't getting those back), as well a few that Riah must've bought herself. But what really caught my eye was a cylindrical case in the corner, illuminated by a blue light. With a sort of stand set in the middle, it reminded me of the kind of cases superheroes put their costumes in.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing. It, too, had no fingerprints on it.

"Oh, that's a surprise." I looked at her curiously. "Let's just say that I've been working on other projects for the Yatagarasu besides just this hideout."

"That's because you're awesome!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around her neck.

"Yes, love, I know."

"You say 'love' alot."

"You breathe alot." Suddenly, we heard a car pull up in the driveway. There weren't any windows in the library or hideout, but I knew who it was by the sheer volume of the engine.

"What's Ian doing here so early?" I asked.

"I asked him to come early," Riah replied. "He needs to get all his gizmos hooked in. I'll go greet him, but you can wait here."

"Okay." Riah exited, closing the door by pulling a lever by the entrance and yanking her arm out of the way before the bookshelf crushed it. I examined the hideout again, just as enchanted by it as I had been before. I almost touched the screens in some sort of trance, but managed to pull myself away before tarnishing their shiny, new perfection. I jumped into a chair and sat on my hands so I didn't risk it anymore.

"- in here?" This was all I heard of Ian before his eyes widened at the extreme awesomeness that was our hideout.

"Cool, huh?" I asked with a grin. He nodded slowly, taking some notice of the side with the chairs, books, and display case, but mainly focusing on the computer.

"Yeah," he breathed. "Riah, this is amazing! It's a brand-new-" Commence list of long names with random number sequences that must be the names of the computers. I certainly didn't know what he was talking about.

"Uh... I don't know what you just said, but I told a couple of people that I wanted a couple nice computers and had a lot of money, and this is what I got."

"Yeah, this is nice," he confirmed. Ian felt no shame in touching the sides of the computers, which almost made me wince. But I guess he would have to touch them anyway, since he had to attach all his tech stuff.

"Please excuse me, but I need to go check on your room, Kay," Riah said. "I'll be right back."

"Yeah, okay, sure." Ian was abosorbed in plugging the multiple gadgets he had built into the computers and took no notice of her anymore. Flinging myself on the arm of the chair, I watched Riah go and then Ian work what I supposed was his magic. Surprise surprise, watching people plug stuff in isn't that exciting.

"So what'cha doin'?" I asked him, knowing that I would probably not know what he said if he answered. He didn't. Ian just kept on looking at his little gadgets, completely ignoring me. Rude. "IAN."

"Huh what?" he sputtered, looking up at me.

"I asked what you were doing."

"Oh, well... I'm attaching-" Yeah. I was right. I had NO idea what he said. I think I heard "camera" and a couple of numbers here, but other than that, nope.

"Um... what?"

"I'm bringing sexy back." I almost fell off the chair from laughing so hard, Ian grinning like an idiot. On rare occasions, like this and the stripper insult with Tatty, he was funny in a somewhat pervey way. It was weird because he was never like that, but hilarious because he was _never like that_.

"Don't die, Kay," Riah ordered as the bookcase swung open and she entered. "We still have a corporation to destroy."

"Right, right, right," I agreed, sitting up. "When's everyone else getting here?" I got bored easily, and even the magic of this hideout was beginning to bore me.

"Well, according to the message_ you_ sent out, oh organized leader, they'll be here at 10:30." What, oh right. Wait... aw crap!

* * *

><p>I suppose I didn't have anything to worry about, since the library and the hideout weren't the only rooms in the house. It was bigger on the inside, with all kinds of rooms. On the first floor, there was a kitchen that looked like it had never been cooked in, and a Victorian breakfast room with an attached, yellow sunroom. There was also a formal dining room, music room, and gym. But the coolest thing was the living room, which had a high ceiling, the world's softest couches, and a TV as tall as me. Not to mention every game system ever created.<p>

The upstairs, where I went next, was like a hotel, with beautiful guest rooms that I would be sleeping in that night. It was the downstairs, though, that was truly awesome. There was a home theater, a rec room with video games and foozball, what resembled a classic American diner, and an arcade. Needless to say, I was sufficiently entertained by the time ten came around.

Reese had to come dowstairs as I marveled at the instructions to attaching a video game console to the home theater, informing me of the time and snapping me out of my stupor. We went to the hideout, and everyone was waiting for us. Eric and Ian had changed into black clothes. Ian had even bought a new black hat for the occasion. Reese sat down and examined the keyboard and computer, her "toy", but I caught her glancing at the chessboard from time to time.

And there was something in the display case now.

"Riah..." I breathed, walking over to it and gently touching the glass. Inside was a cloak, made of shimmering black and gray feathers, that could extend to me ankles and wrap around me. "Did you do this?"

"Yep," she answered, pulling out one of the books from Ron's house. "I wanted you to have something that made you look like a ghost image if you showed up on camera, so people wouldn't get suspicious. It's very effective at making you blend into the dark, too, so it'll be harder for people to see you. I tried it, it's fairly maneuverable. It should only impede you slightly."

"It's perfect!" I shouted, hugging her tightly once again. "How did you find the time to make this?"

"I've already got enough money that I don't need to go to college, so I may have been slacking on my grades a bit."

"Don't do that anymore," I ordered, not wanting her to set an example. Despite the fact that my grades hadn't exactly been stellar recently either.

"I won't, I'm done with everything now. Anyway, put it on, we don't have much time." Using a handle that I hadn't seen before, she pulled the case open and ordered me to turn around. I stood still for a moment, but soon felt feathers settle onto my face and body. It felt natural, like this was my skin.

"I feel like a magician," I breathed as everyone looked at me, astonished.

"Feel like a thief, love," Riah ordered. "Magicians use tricks to make others think what they want; thieves steal and get their attention, then leave the rest completely up to their audience."

"And I am a thief," I murmured, throwing the hood over my head.

"Yes, you are."

"Blue Screens has been closed for almost four hours now," Reese said, fingering the keyboard but not actually pressing the keys. "Considering the fact that it takes 30 minutes to get there, I think it's time for Ian, Kay, and Eric to go."

"Yeah, we really do," I agreed. Zero Hour was 11:15. "Ian, should you give my gadgets now or later?"

"In the car," Eric said, looking impatiently at his watch. "We need to go."

"The rental car's outside," Riah said. "I registered it under a fake name, and paid someone else to make the call and pick it up. You should be okay, but I still suggest you park a few blocks away."

"Gotcha," Eric confirmed, motioning for us to leave.

"You've got your headpiece ready, Reese?" Ian called as we were shooed out the door. "Is it hooked up to the speakers so Cody and Riah can hear us, too?"

"Yes," she replied. "Say something in the car, though."

"We will," I assured. "See you in awhile, guys!"

"Break a leg, Kay!" Cody called out. Reese and Riah wished us some sort of luck, too, but I didn't hear. We all ran out to the rental car (the one that I thought Cody might've stolen) and Eric hopped in the driver's seat, starting it and backing out without a word.

"Worried, Eric?" I asked with a grin.

"No," he said, obvioulsy lying.

"Here, Kay." Ian was holding a little bullet, just like the one he'd given Cody. I put it in my ear and heard a barely audible static. I quickly grew used to it.

"Can you hear me, Reese?" I asked.

"Ack! God, Kay, yes, don't say it so loud!" a tinny version of Reese's voice said.

"I made it so that her volume was louder than your's. A little extra motivation to be... quieter than you normally are."

"You calling me a loudmouth?!" I demanded.

"Kay, don't scream! Please!" Reese begged on the other end.

"Sorry, sorry," I said making sure to whisper. "I'm gonna take it out now so that I can talk normally." Reese may have protested, but the bullet was already out of my ear. "Okay, so I've got suction cups to get up to the fourth floor. This cloak might get in the way a little bit, but it's so awesome I can forgive it. Ian, do you have the gadget that hacks into security systems so I don't have to worry about opening doors?"

"Right here," he said, pulling out something that looked kind of like a money counter of one of the versions of Life. Honestly, his gadgets were the weirdest things. "All you have to do is hold it near one of the security terminals. It picks up the electrical signals wirelessly from there and I'll be able to get in."

"How do you do it?" I prodded, turning the hacking device over and over in my hand.

"That book Ron gave me," he answered. "And some improvisation."

"You're so cool," I told him, eliciting an expected blush. "What else you got?"

"This," he said, giving me another gadget that looked a lot like the other one. "Sorry, the book didn't have much variety when it came to looks. I looked up some stuff about the safes in the office- it was on their website, in an attempt to assure employees of their security- and it should work. But did you find a-"

"Back-up plan? Yeah, I got it." I'd found the entry in Dad's journal. He had a gadget, too, but it broke a few years back. So yeah. No back-up plan.

"Here's your earpiece, Eric," Ian said, setting it on the dashboard.

"Thanks, Paperboy," he replied, taking both hands off the wheel to get it and put it in his ear.

"Wha...! You... didn't have to _stop driving_!" Ian yelled. Eric glared.

"Okay, okay, geez. You don't have to yell." He put his hands back on the wheel and realigns the car with a jerk.

"You idiot, we didn't do all this planning for you to die on the way there!" Reese yelled into the earpiece.

"I got it, Checkers, don't yell at me!" he ordered, but her voice made his more unsteady.

"I might need you later on, Eric, but tonight you're just going to need to be a sentinel," I said, messing with some of Ian's gizmos, much to his dismay.

"Don't break them!"

"I'm not!"

"You said it yourself, you break almost anything you touch!"

"Yeah, well I'm gonna need to touch these anyway, so they have just as good a chance than if I wasn't messing with them!"

"That doesn't make me feel better!"

"We're here," Eric reported, his calm voice louder than both of our's. "You might wanna take the cape off, Raven. It'd look suspicious walkling around dressed like a wizard before we even get there."

"It's a _cloak_. Thieves don't wear capes. They wear cloaks."

"Whatever, we need to go." He sounded a bit angrier than usual. I thought back and remembered when we first met, and he was angry at first. Maybe he just acted like that when he didn't know what to do or was nervous? "Kay?"

"Oh, right." We all began our trek to Blue Screens, which wasn't far. Ian was already on his laptop, and by the way he kept eyeing the street cameras, I guessed he was scrambling them. Impressive. Blue Screens, when we reached it, had an eerie blue glow about it. I got a feeling in my stomach, a feeling that my father often described in his journals. It had been positive there, and it was positive here. I pulled the cloak back on to complete the transformation from hyper high school student to world-renowned thief.

"When we get inside, you guys should keep watch here," I instructed, pointing a finger at a small area between a low wall- one that didn't even extend the perimeter of the building and therefore didn't need throwing over.

"I'm not sure if I'll even be able to see everything from there," he replied, sounding a little discouraged.

"Oh, don't worry, Eric! You'll be able to help us from there!" It had never even occured to me that he would be unhappy with his little job. "Trust me, this is a vital job." Seeing that I'd caught onto his displeasure, his dazzling smile plastered itself back onto his face and he winked.

"I know, Raven," he said smoothly. "This is perfect for me." Well, I didn't know what to make of that, so I just nodded uncertainly and Ian and I headed towards the window that Cody had instructed me to enter through. Identifying it, I began fumbling through my bag, looking for the suction cups.

They weren't there.

"What?!" I yelled, prompting Ian to smack a hand over my mouth. I quickly pushed it away. "I can't find my suction cups!"

"What?!" Ian yelled.

"What?!" Reese exclaimed through the bullet.

"What the crap was that?!" Eric demanded as he ran our way.

"Stop saying 'what' all at once!" I ordered quietly. "Eric, I must've left my suction cups at the lakehouse!"

"Crap! Do you need to me to go get them?"

"There's no time!" I explained. "I walked all over that house. There's no way that you could search the entire place and get back before dawn." Eric, Ian, and I looked up at the building hopelessly. The window placement was unreasonably erratic, and I didn't think I'd be able to climb up that way. All I needed to do was get in a window... the rest was so simple, as long as Ian's gadgets did what he said they would...

"I can throw you." Ian and I looked at Eric, astonished that he even suggested it.

"Are you serious?!" I exclaimed quietly. I heard Reese say something similar at the same time. "That's four stories up!"

"Well, not all the way, obviously," he stated. "But I could get you up to that window-" he pointed to one on the second story "- and you could climb from window from there. There's no way from the one's on this story, but I think you could do it from that one."

"No way!" Ian interjected. "Kay, if you fell, you could get seriously injured, or even..." He was unable to finish his sentence.

"I concur," Reese agreed through the bullet. "You can't do that, Kay." I froze. If there was anything someone didn't get away with, it was telling me I couldn't do something.

"Gimme a boost, Eric," I ordered.

"You sure, Raven?"

"I am the leader of the Yatagarasu and I am positive." I had to rob this building. I remembered Ian's face when he came to school that day and his drunk mother and my father's body, being wheeled away by a coroner. Eric gave me his hands to step on, which I did.

"Don't worry," he assured, though even he sounded nervous. "I've done this with the cheerleaders a billion times, and they weigh way more than you." With that, I was thrown into the air, and I knew for a few moments what it was like to be a bird.

Then I remembered that I wasn't a bird and needed to grab a freaking windowpane or I wasn't going to be much of anything.

I snagged at the nearest one, a bit to my right. My gloves made it a bit slippery, but I was able to grab the pane, miraculously. Turned out, Eric underestimated himself. I had been barely able to grab a third-floor window. I swung from window to window, pulling myself up to the final tiny one that Reese told me was the target. With a bit of kicking, I was able to get my feet in the little pane and stayed on with more than a little balance.

"God, Kay, you can't scare us like that." It was Ian's voice, and it was tinny like Reese's now. "Now just find a security terminal and attach the Wireless System Dis-"

"English, man, English!"

"The fat disk!"

"Right, that! Yeah, I got it." Windows were easy. I'd found a special window pick in one of Dad's journals. It was so small that you could slide it under the tiny crevice where the lock is, but strong enough that it could twist it with a bit of wiggling. I had it done quickly and opened it slightly. Just as we had hoped (for this was a situation that we'd mainly hoped about), the window was so small that they hadn't bothered to wire it for security. I was small too, though, and able to get in.

"I see you inside now, Kay!" Reese confirmed. "Now the plan is simple. You need to get to the stairs, go down a flight, and Evets' office should be right there. By then, you _must've _found a security terminal thing; Cody says they're everywhere." I heard Cody confirm this in the background. "In fact, according to these plans, there's one right outside the bathroom."

"Okay, got it." I scurried over to the door and opened it slowly. When there were no lights outside, I guessed that there were no guards around. A security terminal blinked beside the door. I held the money-counter disabler thing near it and let it work it's wireless magic.

"I'm in," Ian reported.

"That was fast," I whispered.

"I helped it a bit."

"Wow, I can't see you at all," Reese reported. "That cloak works wonders." I heard Riah say something, but couldn't decipher it. "Anyway, I can see all the security cameras now, so I can confirm that you're clear on the fourth floor. Seriously, it's like you're not even there. Ian, you might not even have to loop the footage."

"Aw, but I was training for that..."

"I'm going," I said before taking off in the directions that Reese told me to go. A right here, a left there, no, don't go there, a guard's smoking there or there's an extra sensitive security camera. Despite a couple turn-arounds, I was able to get to Evets' office quickly and removed the Warhol knock-off, revealing an electronic safe. I pulled out the other disk and it attached almost immediately to the safe, like a magnet.

"Okay... I'm getting stuff..." I heard frantic typing from Ian's end as he tried to decipher the data he was receiving. "This is a lot more difficult than the school computers..."

"Can you get in?" I asked worriedly.

"I don't kn- wait, I got the first number! It's 9!"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, and the second's... 5!"

"5, got it." I typed the two numbers in. No alarms went off, so that was a good sign.

"Then... 3."

"Okay, 3. What's the last one?"

"I... I don't know! I can't find it!" I was beginning to panic. If I couldn't get the last number, this would all be for nought. Suddenly, I heard Cody yelling in the background.

"Wait, slow down!" Reese ordered. His voice slowed and softened. "Seriously? Are you sure?" I didn't hear anything, but I could practically see him nodding so hard his hat fell off. "Okay, Cody thinks he's got the last number."

"Really?" Ian and I asked at the same time.

"Yeah. It's his class ranking. Evets was 9th in his class freshman year, 5th sophomore year, and 3rd junior year."

"So the last digit's one," I breathed.

"I'd try it," Ian instructed. "I don't think I can crack this... I'm so sorry..." Deciding that it was worth a shot, I stabbed the 1 button.

I heard the intake of breath in the second that followed. If this didn't work, what would?

The safe opened with a _click_.

"That egotistical son of a batch of cookies," I murmured. There was only a couple of things in the safe: some papers, a book, and a CD. I grabbed the CD, which had a series of ominous numbers on it, and walked over to the computer.

"Shall we test this?" I asked.

"That's a bad idea," Ian said. "It would be better if we tried it on my laptop."

"Even if it's a vicious virus that eats your computer?" I asked with a smirk.

"I'll be able to delete it," he assured with more confidence than usual. "Please, Kay, you need to get out of there."

"That's a great idea, except it might be harder than we originally thought," Reese agreed. I heard Riah and Cody talking in the background excitedly now, but Reese said nothing on it. "See, the guards have all decided to have some sort of party on the stairwell. You're stuck on that floor."

"Well then I guess I'll just have to jump!" I said cheerfully. This prompted the usual "WHAT?!"'s that I expected, but I hushed them. "Ian, Eric, I'm gonna find a window and you'll need to catch me. Can you do that?"

"No," Ian said."

"Yes!" Eric exclaimed through his own bullet, which he hadn't used this entire time.

"Okay, I'm gonna go open a window and you can get ready from there."

"I can't believe this!" Reese said, disgusted.

"What else are we supposed to do?"

"No, not that. I can't believe these security guards! They've got beer and are drinking on the job!" In the background, Cody and Riah screamed.

"We can't worry about that right now," I replied, leaving the office and looking at the window at the end of the hall. I ran towards it and glanced outside, making sure to cloak myself.

"I can barely see you, but I wouldn't if I didn't know you were there," Reese reported. Riah was yelling at Cody, and I was beginning to get worried about them. Knowing that I had other things to think about now, I opened the window slowly.

"Stop!" Reese ordered. "I can see you!" I pulled my hand away as I heard Ian laugh on the other end.

"Don't worry! I got this!" I waited, completely still (it had taken a long time to master, but I could now sit still for hours), as Ian worked his AV magic. "Is it looping now, Reese?"

"Yep. You can open it up, Kay." I threw the window open, and by the silence on Reese's end (besides the exclamations from Cody and Riah), I could tell that I wasn't seen. I stepped outside and, twisting uncomfortably, I managed to close the window and looked down. I used to be afraid of heights, but I had to get over that awhile ago. Ian and Eric were making their way towards the window and were under me soon enough. With the ultimate leap of faith, I jumped off the pane, right into their arms.

Unfortunately and predictably, they ended up squished under me, even though my landing was quite smooth.

"Let's not do that again," Ian, whose bones were like plastic, muttered.

"Here you go," I said, handing him the CD. "Now let's go!" We all booked it to the car, knowing that if I'd made a mistake, we probably couldn't go back. The three of us jumped into the car, and Ian's computer was already out and the CD in the slot. Eric and I crowded around him, trying to see what the secrets were. We saw nothing, for the screen was too small. Judging by how quickly Ian's skin paled, however, I could tell that I'd guessed right.

"Is... that right?" I asked. He nodded and transferred the data to a flashdrive, before replacing the disk back in its case and giving it to me.

"You should get this in the envelope," he murmured as he began burning the data on other CDs he'd brought with him. I nodded and put it in a small package with a pre-written address and a card. Dad had left a lot of cards. He had planned to do a lot more robberies.

Eric stopped at a random mailbox and I left the envelope in it. I was glad that they'd changed the law that prohibited mail delivery on Sundays, or I'd be out of luck. It became a routine, of Ian burning a CD and me and Eric dropping it in a mailbox. When we passed the local newspaper headquarters, we dropped it off there, too.

All I knew was that, come Monday when that mail arrived and those reporters came to work, all Hell would break loose.

* * *

><p>Riah didn't greet us at the door, or even in the foyer. We headed towards the library, a bit angry that we didn't get any celebratory reception. I mean, we weren't gonna party until Riah had gotten rid of the evidence (which would be tomorrow, while the mail was being delivered) and the newspapers had been published, but we could've at least had a "Good job, welcome back."<p>

Instead, the door to the hideout opened while Cody was yelling "GET OUT OF THE BUILDING, GET OUT OF THE FREAKING BUILDING!" This was followed by Reese (who was in front of a laptop), Riah, and the freshman screaming, and Riah yelling:

"You died without getting _any_ notes! I didn't even think that was possible!"

"Well ex_cuse_ me! I'm a beginner!"

"That's the fourth time it's happened!"

"Uh, hey," I greeted, prompting everyone to look our way.

"Good job!" Cody congratulated, embarassed.

"What are you doing?" I asked, looking at the computer screen.

"Playing _Slender_," Riah replied. "It's an old horror game. Freshie got bored, so we started playing and Reese joined us." Indeed, Reese had stopped talking to us after we dropped off the second package.

"And you couldn't even welcome us home?" I asked, offended, even though I was already shooing Reese out of the chair.

The boys were supposed to go home after the robbery, but all of our adrenaline drained playing the scariest game known to man and we, the Yatagarasu, fell asleep the night of our first robbery while running from Slender Man.

**Author's Note: Wow, that's long. I got really far in and was like "Dude, the robbery hasn't even started yet."**

**Don't play **_**Slender**_**. It's terrifying, and all I did was watch Cry (who's hilarious when it comes to scary things) play it.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	15. Pilot: Part 11

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Thank you very much, Alice! I probably spent more time editing that chapter than writing it, so I'm glad you thought it was well-written. ALL OF THE ACTION!**

**sakarigirl: I saw a Doctor Who picture that ended in the Doctor saying "I'm bringing sexy back", so I just had to use it :) And it would be awesome if you drew them, as I'm sure you got from my PM. **

**Yes. Yesssssss. I've been waiting for this chapter too. Wow... I guess I've just been waiting for this entire story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own AA. Or Slender. Or Pokemon. (That'd be so cool.)**

Chapter 15

It started out soft, like the slight buzzing in your ears when there's water in them.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Then it got a bit louder, loud enough that I began wondering where the snooze button was.

_BEEP. BEEP. BEEP._

Okay, now it was just obnoxious. The noise was longer and louder, and I heard Cody's watery voice groggily yelling to turn the noise off.

_BEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEP. BEEEEEEP._

It was only then that I realized... crap, this was my phone, and it was saying to hightail it to church unless I wanted a) to be sent to Hell and b) have my own mother send me there.

"Crap, I gotta go, guys!" I exclaimed, suddenly awake and alert.

"Why?" Ian asked, weakly rubbing his eyes.

"Bye," everyone else murmured.

"I promised my mom that I'd go to church," I replied. "I need to get there or she'll kill me."

"In a loving, Christian way," Riah grinned sleepily.

"Exactly. Bye, guys. Don't forget to wake up for Riah's interview... stealing evidence... thing. Whatever, bye!" Once again, I got a weak chorus of goodbyes. Rolling my eyes, I examined the scene before me as I delicately took the cloak off (had I really slept in it?) Reese was sleeping daintily in a chair, which didn't really surprise. Riah, on the other hand, was just one of the guys. She, like Cody and Eric, was sprawled out on the floor, snoring in a very un-ladylike way. Why, she was even manlier in her sleep than Ian, who was in a chair and already asleep again. Someone's dead laptop was sitting lifeless on the table, the chess board that was originally there on the floor next to it. We'd played until the poor computer was as dead as we always were when we ran into Slender Man. Wait... didn't we end up beating it? Did we _still die_?

I couldn't think about this right now. The service started in twenty minutes and I still needed to put something on over my thief clothes. I felt around my pockets- screw purses- and found my keys, then ran out the door. My car was, unsurprisingly, exactly where it was the night before. I hoped they remembered to return the rental car that I had parked behind. Probably breaking the speed limit more than once, I made it to my building with three minutes before the service started. My mother was probably already planning my punishment.

"Hello, Kay," Mrs. Watkins, the stereotypical widow, greeted. She eyed my clothes. "Where have you been?"

"I was at a friend's house," I admitted. "I brought more clothes. I'll go to the sanctuary in a moment." Not wanting to hear her anymore, I ran to the bathroom, put my bangs back into my ponytail, and put a dress on over my black clothes. After that, I dashed out and somehow found my mother in the sanctuary right as the music started.

What a lucky day for me, Pastor Red's sermon was about a few of the Ten Commandments. Surprise surprise, one of those sins was stealing. Another was lying. Every time I listened to him calmly talk- that was part of the reason that I liked him so much, because he was so calm when he preached- about how we shouldn't commit these two sins (well, there were others, but all I really heard were these two), it was like a sludgehammer to my soul. It only made me more sure of what I was going to do when the service was over.

After the final song was sung, I gave my mother a hasty, nearly inaudible explanation as to where I was going and dashed off before she could ask anything. Pastor Red (I thought of Pokemon every time I heard his name) was talking to a couple of the members of the congregation when I found him. I gulped and politely waited until he was done, then swooped in before anyone else could keep me from him.

"Good morning, Pastor Red," I said calmly. Dang it, get out of my head, Pokemon!

"Oh, hello Kay," he said back, surprised but happy to see me nonetheless. We hadn't been going here for very long, but he and I had talked a couple times about Dad.

"I... I was wondering if you could do something for me," I murmured.

"Yes? What is it?" My eyes drifted to the hallway that lead opposite the sanctuary.

"I saw that you had a confessional," I blurted out. "I was wondering if we could use it." Now this _really _surprised him.

"The confessional? Why, I haven't used that in a long time. It's not even used in this church-"

"Please?" I pleaded. Pastor Red examined my face for a moment before nodding and leading the way, me hopping excitedly behind him.

The confessional was in a room that wasn't necessarily storage but certainly on the verge. It was in the very center of the back wall, and very visible to a curious thief looking into the rooms. Pastor Red was a true gentleman and opened the door to my side of the booth.

"And you promise that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you?" I confirmed.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied with a nice, sincere smile. With this sense of security, I stepped inside and kneeled as he closed the door. When I heard him get situated in his own side of the booth, I began.

"Forgive me Father for I have sinned." I don't really know why I said this, but it seemed like a good thing to say. "I have been lying to my parents and Mr. Edgeworth about what I've been doing lately. The truth is that... last night me and five others participated in the professional robbery of a computer company. I stole a disk containing some sort of awful virus and have sent it out to multiple newspaper companies so this company's reign of corruption will end." I took a deep breath, ready to release the big guns. "Me, Ian Cain, Riah Blake, Cody Hackins, Eric Weisner, and Reese Emmitt are the Yatagarasu. It sounds ridiculous, but it's true. And thanks to us, something big's going down tomorrow. That is all." Pastor Red was silent for a moment and I was afraid he wouldn't believe me. Finally, he murmured:

"I thought you were just going to say you had sex or something." Despite the serious circumstances, I laughed.

"Well, I guess I'm just an unpredictable person." Another pause. "Can... we go now?"

"Yes, we can." I got up and would've stretched except, you know, I was in half a booth. I stepped out and saw Pastor Red looking at me.

"You're... not judging me, are you? You're not judging us?"

"That's not my place," he replied, the same sincere smile from before.

"And you won't tell anyone?"

"It's just as I said before, I wouldn't dream of it." This time, his smile got me and I threw my arms around him.

"Thank you. It's feels good to feel forgiven."

"It always does."

"Kay?" My mother was in the doorway, looking at us, confused. "What are you doing?" I unhooked my arms and smiled sweetly at her, my smile not as sincere as his.

"Pastor Red was just helping me feel better about something that's been bothering me," I replied. "We can go now. Bye!"

"Bye, Kay. See you next Sunday."

* * *

><p>"Sloppy work, Kay, very sloppy," Riah scolded later that day. I had told Mom that Riah and Reese had asked me to come back to her house to help her with a project, as well Cody, Eric, and Ian. I guess it wasn't entirely a lie. This robbery was considered a project. In fact, we later coded robberies by calling them "the Projects."<p>

"What?" I asked. "What did I miss?"

"A feather was on the windowsill, and the windows were left unlocked," she replied. "I was able to swipe the feather when no one was looking- amazing that no one saw it- and lock the window when no one was looking, and I even 'accidentally' went into the boy's bathroom to lock the other one."

"Don't British people say 'loo' or something?" Eric prodded.

"I don't even know anymore, I've been here awhile. Don't stereotype."

"Okay, Ryder." Riah glared.

"Can you please not call me that in public?"

"This isn't public."

"Are you sure you didn't miss anything?" I interjected, wanting to get back on track. Riah rolled her eyes.

"Kay, I don't miss anything. Whether it be a smudge in a drawing, or Freshie trying to steal my silver. Freshie, put that back." Cody, who was trying to stow some silverware that had been brought in later that day in his jacket, replaced it sheepishly. "I didn't miss anything. I even asked Evets to show me the safe."

"Why the crap did you do that?!" I exclaimed. "What if he got the bright idea to open it and saw that the disk was missing?"

"He wasn't going to," Riah assured nonchalantly. "I made sure to immediately act uninterested when he showed it to me. It would only make sense that he'd move onto something that interested the girl who was paying for a tour of his building." Riah had called in shortly after Cody's interview and asked for a tour for her comics, promising a hefty sum in return. It was timed impeccably, which was good, because that's what it'd have to be.

"Okay," I said, calmer now. "I trust you. Now we just have to wait for everyone to walk into work or school tomorrow and rewrite their main story."

"Enter celebrity here's new boyfriend will have to will have to wait," Cody laughed.

"Are you really _that _out of touch with pop culture?" Reese asked, amused and cocking her brow. "You can't even think of a celebrity?"

"I'm not part of this system!"

"Well, I don't know about you," I interjected again, seriously wanting conversations to be focused for once. "but I'm super tired. I'm going home and going to bed early. Remember, _everyone _goes to school tomorrow. I don't care if you contract pneumonia overnight, it might raise suspicion if we aren't there and alert."

"No promises," Eric said, rubbing his eyes.

"Do you think that they'd be onto any of us?" Ian questioned worriedly. "I mean, besides you?"

"Honestly, I don't think they'd even suspect me," I replied. "If Mr. Edgeworth didn't take me seriously when I said I'd be the Yatagarasu before, I don't think the police will, either."

"Will your prosecutor friend suspect you now?" Reese asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

This was not a question I was ready to answer.

"Well..." I chose my words carefully. They, these people who were looking at me with wide, worried eyes, didn't know Mr. Edgeworth like I did. "I think he'll have suspicions, but I highly doubt he'd pursue them. He's the kinda guy that needs more evidence than my rantings about how I'm going to be in the second-generation Yatagarasu. And I'm going to act _ticked off _when I find out that there's a new Yatagarasu. I just have to hope he buys it."

"Okay," Reese said, though she and the rest of them didn't seem very reassured.

It didn't matter. Tomorrow, no matter what we did now, the crap was hitting the fan.

* * *

><p>Delilah Chiseler came to school early Monday morning, as she always did, to supervise the printing of the paper. Though she didn't show it- she would never show such a thing- she was feeling discouraged. The paper's name had been run through dirt the past few years, and she wasn't sure if even she could redeem it.<p>

The lights were on in the room, which meant that Lindsey, a junior, the head writer, and a close friend of Delilah's was already there. Lindsey was the only one that knew of Delilah's hopeless feelings for the future of the paper, and was often there to help the freshman in an attempt to make her feel better.

"Morning, Delilah," Lindsey greeted. She was eating a breakfast burrito from a gas station across the street, which made the editor worry for her health.

"Good morning, Lindsey," she sighed back. "It's getting colder. Maybe I'll have to start wearing my fancy coats for function instead of style." Her friend smirked.

"Don't be a snooty rich girl," Lindsey shot back. "Anyway, you got a package." Well, this piqued her interest.

"What do you mean?" Nothing like this had ever happened to her or the other editors.

"I mean that I came in this morning and saw a package sitting on the desk addressed to you. Here it is." Drinking coffee (from the same gas station) in one hand, Lindsey held out the package in the other. Delilah took it cautiously, then remembered the bet she'd made with Kay Faraday last week. She wasn't planning on reporting them anyway, but this reminded her of the forgotten threat. Now even more curious, the redhead ripped open the package, dropping it in her excitement.

As it fell, a card drifted from the inside and onto the floor. It was black, with fancy edges and a single, well-known symbol in the middle: the three-legged raven.

Delilah Chiseler's eyes widened.

"What's that?" Lindsey asked, trying to see what small paper had fallen to the ground.

"Lindsey," Delilah squeaked, hardly able to speak, "we need a new article."

* * *

><p>All across California, similar situations were going on as reporters ripped open their packages and the calling card fluttered out, silencing the entire office. Then, in moments, chaos breaks out as the single disk is frantically inserted into a computer and articles are rewritten to cover this new story, the return of the Yatagarasu. People were already buzzing about it when they came into school, and as I'd predicted they all read Delilah's article on the return of the hero as well, boosting her ratings dramatically. Riah replaced her comic with a picture of a dark figure in my cloak and it quickly became a hit throughout the student body. I didn't see Delilah for awhile, but when I did, she mouthed <em>How'd you know?<em> and I replied with shrug, trying to seem as surprised she was. It wasn't pressed any further.

"This was what was on the disk?" I asked Ian as he and I read over the article at lunch. It explained that the stolen disk had coding for a virus that would infect people's computers by spreading rapidly through social media websites. It also conviently included a detailed layout of the plan, written by Lisa Basil to her named clients, which stated that the ultimate goal of the plan was to eventually hack into military and political computers as the virus grew in power by taking over more people's computers. "How convient for us."

"Yep," Ian replied, eyes glazed over at the memory. "I guess you never did ask me about the CD, did you?"

"Nope. I was either tired, mailing them, or running away from Slender Man."

"I couldn't sleep last night because of that game. Were we drunk or something the first night? Because I had no trouble sleeping then."

"Well, you were understandably exhausted from the robbery," I explained. "And I guess the adrenaline could substitute for alcohol."

* * *

><p>Not far away, Eric Weisner was eating by himself. Well, not necessarily by himself, since a couple of his teammates were sitting there but getting their lunch at the moment. That was fine, though. He was eavesdropping on a couple of girls at the next table, who were unsurprisingly talking about the Yatagarasu.<p>

"So this is the second one?" one of the girls asked.

"Yep," the other explained, her tone indicating that she considered herself an expert on the subject. "The last Yatagarasu ended in disaster, with two of the members arrested and the other dead. It'll probably end up that way this time, too."

_Yeah, right_ Eric thought as he sipped some sports drink he wasn't paying attention to.

"Well that would suck," the other friend replied. "He seems pretty cool."

"He's a vigilante," the girl that was so pleased with herself argued, suddenly not as enchanted with the thief as she was before. "No matter what, he's still stealing. He'll get arrested."

_I'd like to see them try._

"He's seems pretty cool, though," the comparatively ignorant girl responded. Eric liked her more at the moment. "A thief, like Robin Hood. I bet he's super hot." This time, Eric couldn't keep his laughter in. Sports drink spewed onto the table as he nearly fell on the floor from laughter. The girls, as well as most of the other people in the cafeteria, looked at him like he was crazy, unaware that their comments were what brought him such joy.

* * *

><p>The party was planned for that night, and I was again planning on telling my mom that the project wasn't quite finished and that we'd be done by tomorrow. But first, there was someone that I needed to talk to.<p>

"OH MR. EDGEEEEWORTHHHH!" I made sure that, when I entered Mr. Edgeworth's office, I seemed genuinely furious at the very idea that someone was stealing my job. When he saw me, Mr. Edgeworth grinned.

"Did you see the news?" he asked, obviously knowing the answer.

"YES!" I shouted, huffing and flopping into a chair. Gummy was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Gummy?"

"Working," Mr. Edgworth replied. "Believe it or not, this isn't his office. Now, what do you think?"

"I think he's a _fake_!" I replied, thinking of my words carefully. "He is _not _the Yatagarasu. _I _am! It's in my blood!"

"Interesting," Mr. Edgeworth said, looking at a newspaper in his hand. "I was half expecting this to be your work." He leaned over his desk, giving me the same look he gives to people he's cross-examining. I curled my feet in uncomfortably. "Tell me, Kay, where have you been the past few nights?"

"I'm flattered," I replied, "but this isn't me. I've been at a friend's all weekend and my house all week. They can't pin the robbery down on a certain day anyway." Mr. Edgeworth leaned back, still giving me the look.

"I see. I'm very sorry, Kay, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. The prosecutor's office is chaos because of this case and I have a lot of work to do."

"Of course, I understand," I said sadly, which was genuine.

"Don't worry," he told me, his grin back. "We'll catch this fake Yatagarasu so that you can take your rightful place." Now, if this indeed was another Yatagarasu, I would've yelled "YOU BETTTER!" and stormed off. But it wasn't. It was me, and all that squeaked out was:

"Great." Then I shut the door, scurrying down the hall with my head in my hands, murmuring "He knows it, he totally knows it..."

* * *

><p>Edgeworth's suspicions didn't impede our party plans, however. Everyone met at the lake house with all the newspapers we could find at six and went straight to the basement. Riah was playing bartender until the evening news came on, serving us sodas and food. We would be here for awhile since, even though it was out of the question today, we could miss school tomorrow. Reese predicted that a lot of people would, since teenagers would use any excuse they could to party and then feign sickness the next day.<p>

We were all sufficiently filled before the news came on, so we took turns shoving papers into Riah's face so she could read them in a British accent. There were so many articles: articles about this robbery, about past robberies, about the consequences of Blue Screens' actions (those were the best ones.) Reese alerted us to the time and we watched our triumph on Riah's home theater.

"The Yatagarasu, the thief known as the Great Thief and the Modern Day Robin Hood, has resurfaced after seven years of lying dormant. The thief robbed Blue Screens sometime between Tuesday and Monday, when the evidence was found by reporters all over California. Unlike some of the past robberies, the evidence was sent out to at least thirty random newspapers, even a couple school papers. This certainly helped the news spread quickly, for the entire country was in an uproar by the afternoon. Law enforcement officials are clueless on the identity of the thief, as they always were, considering the fact that one of the Yatagarasu's policies, or 'legs', is to leave no evidence. Officials seem to even be turning on each other in confusion as they recall that the former Yatagarasu consisted of a prosecutor, a defense attorney, and the detective assigned to the case."

"I wonder what they'd say if they knew it was a couple of kids," Cody laughed.

"Packages containing two simple things appeared all over California this morning. The two items were a disk, which contained a virus that could potentially destroy social networking as we know it-"

"It would destroy more than that," Ian murmured.

"- as well as a black calling card, the card of the Yatagarasu. It is exactly the same as the card sent out by the orginal Yatagarasu, and some people are actually wondering if they are the same cards as the ones from seven years ago."

"I kept those cards in impeccable condition," I said, irritated. "They could've been printed yesterday. They can't prove anything." This, I wasn't so sure about.

"Here's our Yatagarasu expert-"

"That's our cue to turn this off," I interrupted. "We can all agree that we're ten times better as a Yatagarasu expert than that guy. C'mon, lets go do stuff!"

"YEAH! LERRRROOOYYYY JENKINNNNSSSS!" At this exclamation, Cody grabbed all the newspapers he could get his hands on and began to rip them to shreds, throwing the pieces around like confetti. Everyone laughed and joined in, tearing up the papers of our victory and throwing it every which way. Riah turned on some music that blasted through unseen speakers, and all of us began to dance (surprise surprise, none of us were that good.)

_We can't change the course of fate sealed long ago,_

_But hope is not lost:_

_"Code name: Corbeau!"_

_We trade their secrets at cost for our lives. _

_The panzer is strong, the raven is wise!_

_ As long as we don't _really _pay with our lives _I thought with a smile.

_Why kiss the feet of the people who kick you, _

_When you can be anything that you want to?_

_ I feel ya_ I told Superchic[k].

_I'm just your average, ordinary, everyday, superhero. _

_Trying to save the world, but never really sure._

_How fitting_ I thought to myself. _As long as we did good... we're superheroes. Even if we get caught._

**Author's Note: Another long chapter! What is this sorcery? **

**Well, there you have it. So ends this robbery. Now what's in store for the Yatagarasu? Hopefully not another robbery consisting of one convient thing after another. Kind of like Batman's utility belt... If you got that, you're awesome.**

**The songs, in order, are: Code Name: Raven by House of Heroes, Hey Hey by Superchic[k], and Everyday Superhero by Smashmouth. And, obviously, those aren't all the lyrics. They're all great songs, I suggest you look them up if you don't know them already.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	16. Infantile: Part 1

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: I gotta go now (OH OH, OH OH), I really wanna stay... Yeah. 3OH!3. Come at me bro. Anyway, that can be interpreted as 1) I really like quoting songs or 2) it's time for me to go on hiatus again. While both are true, the latter is what applies best right now. That's right. This'll be the last chapter until around Christmas. I know, I know. Don't go cry in a corner, though, please. (Just start a mushroom farm.) So enjoy... this'll be it for awhile.**

**Why does everyone hate Kay? I like Kay. Kay's awesome. If it's because she's paired up with Edgeworth, they need to suck it up, because that's stupid. YOU ALL HEARD ME. THIS ISN'T A KAYxEDGEWORTH FIC. I'm not sure if it'll be a KayxAnyone fic.**

**Of course Edgeworth knows it, Alice. Edgeworth is omniscent. (Omniscent? Omniscent...) Thank you for the compliment, though! I agree; I look back on past chapters and I'm like "Why are people reading this crap?!"**

**I'm one of the smart ones, too. Hmm... that actually gives me an idea... Anyway, get back to me on those pictures, if you still want to do them.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ace Attorney.**

Chapter 16

Of course, the day it's totally natural for me to stay home I feel well enough to go to school. Probably a quarter of the student body was gone, Ian, Riah, and Cody included. Reese played chess sleepier than usual, now conversing with some of the library regulars; Eric was irritated (we found that there was a very thin line between his charming self and his angry self) and trudged around the school in a huff. I yawned a lot and examined my peers; attendance junkies, people who didn't care about the Yatagarasu, students with hangover but had long ago exceeded their number of absences. But I didn't have to look at them long. I hung around the entrance of the school in the time before the bell rang, bored because I usually talked to Ian at this time.

"This... is so... boring." How did Reese do it all those years, avoiding people? I groaned and spun around, exasperated (because that's _totally _what exasperated people do), and glanced out the windows. And then I saw something interesting. A car was parked in front of the school, hidden behind bushes so that it could only be spotted from the inside if you were looking at it at the weird angle I was. There was a small line of students leading to it's tinted front window, and a couple others eyed the car greedily. Despite all this, it would've merely appeared as if a couple people were hanging around a friend's car, to anyone who wasn't looking for something interesting (which I was.) I found my eyes focused on the car, since it was better than focusing on the wall.

And then something weird happened.

The kid that was at the front of the line spun around and headed indoors hurriedly, stuffing what my sharp eyes distinguished as a Ziploc bag into a pocket on the inside of his jacket. When the next student did the same thing, I focused on the bag's content and gasped.

"Drugs," I muttered. "It's always drugs."

"Kay!" I spun around, tearing my eyes off the revolting scene in front of me. I knew the girl that was next in line. She was a cheerleader, one of the few that didn't make fun of me. I focused on the woman that was rushing towards me, Mrs. Bullock. Ever since the file-stealing incident, she'd been a better counselor.

"Hello," I replied, working to make my eyes focus on her. "What is it?"

"I tried to find you yesterday, but with all this Yatagarasu business, the entire school was in chaos," she said, and I tried to figure out what it had to do with the present conversation. "Anyway, I've been meaning to tell you that your test scores were messed up. You have two free tracks, and you're welcome to use them whenever you'd like." My head impulsively snapped in the car's direction. The line had dwindled and died and it was starting to pull out.

"I think I'll use it today," I replied, backing towards the door. "Thanks, Mrs. Bullock!" I think she said you're welcome, but I was dashing towards my car. I was glad that I'd parked so close to the school now, for I was able to jump right in and start it up. The white car was just pulling out of my line of sight when I veered from my parking spot and began to follow it.

The car followed a fairly natural route, but I'm sure that I completely over-complicated the following of it by swerving through alleys and sideroads and then pulling up behind it right before it disappeared around a corner. Eventually, the guy got out and started walking, which complicated things more. I pulled up behind him a little after he got out and followed. The driver was young and handsome, certainly not what I'd expect from a drug dealer. He was dark and kind of reminded me of an older version of Eric, making the image fit him even less. He would look behind his shoulder every now and then, and I got tired of all the weird looks when I hid behind people and decided that I needed a disguise.

As I pondered this new need, I thought of all the ways that I could possibly buy a hat without losing him, but I couldn't- wait, how'd this hat get into my hand? I looked behind me, and I thought I saw a head of curly brown hair that the Angels hat used to sit upon. He didn't even seem to notice, and I realized that I'd grabbed it subconciously while thinking about how nice it'd be to have it. Deciding that it wouldn't do any good not to use it, I slapped it on my head, and in the process got a look at my clothes. They were pretty recognizable, a jacket would be ni- wait, what the crap?! A jacket that had been tied around a lady's waist was now in my hands, and once again I was so quick that 1) I didn't realize I was doing anything and 2) she didn't notice. Slightly worried, I slipped it on and did the best to cover up my clothes.

Looking like a fairly normal person now, I didn't worry as much when he turned around. I would occasionally duck behind a person, but it was less often and the action was less urgent since my identity wasn't on the line. Finally, the man took a sharp turn and I stopped and looked up at the sign.

It was the Warren Corporation, most well known for making shoes. I guess you couldn't get a nice, big building with just from making shoes, though.

I considered my options from this point forward. I could go in, but what good would that do? I couldn't just step in and say "Hey, I hear you're selling drugs, could you hook me up?" Considering some of the drug dealers Dad wrote about, it wouldn't surprise me if that made them shoot me on the spot. But I wanted to be certain that they were underhanded before sending Cody into the heart of it all, and I wanted to know how serious they were for the same reason. If something happened to Cody on a mission, I would never forgive myself. But I still couldn't just go on; I decided to leave and ask Reese what to do later.

And then something weird happened again.

A man that looked as high as heaven stumbled out the door and looked at me, tilting his head. I thought about running, since who knows what druggies could do, and the idea seemed extra appealing when he started to glare at me. I was just about to run when he spoke.

"If you ever want to meet a group of back-stabbing corporate-" I've done a good job of censory so far so I'm just gonna skip what he said next "-, there you go!" And then he stomped away and I looked up at the building again.

He may have been high. It still might not be entirely reliable.

I recalled the nice cheerleader going up to the car and leaving, missing a bit of her sanity.

Cody would do it. This was enough.

I decided to go home and sleep after this little escapade, since I was tired and wanted nothing more than to jam my headphones in my ears and let the music lull me to sleep. Mom would be home, but I'd be leaving her alone and I was off today anyway, so I she wouldn't be mad. I opened the door and almost yelled out to her, but decided against it when an unfamiliar noise graced my hearing.

It was sobbing. My mother was sobbing. I followed the sound until I got to the living room, where she was clutching yesterday's newspaper to her chest and watching the news. It was all about the Yatagarasu, of course. But why was she crying? It wasn't like she had loved Dad when he died or anything.

"This again," she sobbed. "Why would someone do this again?"

I gulped.

"Mom?"

"Oh God, honey!" She dropped the paper and muted to TV as quickly as she could before angrily turning to me. "What are you doing here? You should be at school!"

"I got a free track," I replied quietly. "Mommy, why are you crying?" We looked at each other before she burst into tears again.

"I remember you saying that," she continued between bouts of crying. "You said that in the exact same way when you were little. When he was alive..." I went to comfort her as she cried on the couch, watching the TV and knowing that they were talking about me. "Why would someone do this, Kay?"

"What?"

"Why would someone bring back that monster?" she pleaded. "Why would they bring back the thing that killed my best friend?" Of course she still loved him. It would be the same if Ian died. Why wouldn't I be sad? Why wouldn't I cry?

I made my mother cry.

It took a moment to sink in and the guilt overwhelmed me at the thought. Mom was crying because the Yatagarasu had been revived, and I was the resurrector. I thought she'd be happy that someone was carrying on Dad's legacy. Instead, she unwittingly called me a monster. Was I a monster? Was I really throwing a freshman and a couple other seniors into the hearts of drug cartels and crime? It does sound slightly monstrous, doesn't it?

"I have to go," I told her as her tears subsided. Before she could question me, I dashed up to my room and locked the door. As I kicked my shoes off, I grabbed my headphones and jammed them in my ears. I pressed "Play" as I lay down and let the calm songs soothe me.

But I wasn't soothed. I couldn't sleep anymore.

I was a monster.

Before arriving home that day, I had texted everyone that I'd found a new target and that I'd tell them tomorrow. But tomorrow came, and I was feeling thoroughly unsure of this cause I had so blindly pursued before. The sound of my mother sobbing wouldn't leave me, and the danger in the high man's eyes haunted my thoughts.

Cody was the first to find me.

"Kay!" he exclaimed excitedly, running up to me. "Kay Kay Kay! Who'd you find? Who do I get to insult next?" Once one of them found me, it seemed only seconds before Ian and Riah surrounded me as well, their eyes expecting something that I wasn't sure I should give.

"Well... I don't know, Cody..."

"Are you _doubting _me, Kay?" he prodded, insulted. "After all we've been through?" I looked from face to face, and they all portrayed the same expression of confusion, as if they couldn't understand how I could be so devoted to the Yatagarasu yesterday and yet so hesitant today. That was okay; I didn't really understand, either.

"It's just that... this one might be really dangerous..."

"You're talking like Ian now, love," Riah pointed out. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, do Ian's speech patterns immediately indicate that something's wrong?" I shot back.

"Yeah, do they?" Ian added, more concerned than aggressive.

"They do if it's you who is using them. Really, what's wrong?" I wasn't sure how to explain it. How did I tell someone that I was a monster?

"I just... Maybe we shouldn't do this," I said. There was silence before Ian (of all people) said:

"You've got to be kidding me."

"What?"

"This is your dream, you bloody idiot!" Riah said, smacking the side of my head. "Yes. It's dangerous. We all acknowledged that when you said we'd be screwing corrupt companies. Doing that tends to be dangerous. But the pay-off is so good, Kay. We're helping people, and you've lead us to that point."

"Yeah!" Cody agreed excitedly. "It feels great to commit felonies against companies that screw over innocent people!"

"I'm glad you think so," I laughed, my reassurance slowly creeping back. Mine and Ian's eyes met, and he gave a slight smile.

"I never thought... I'd be able to do this kind of thing," he admitted. "I'm glad I am, though. Thank you, Kay."

And this was _totally _not the part where I start crying.

Nope. This is the part where my eyes are sweating from how awesome I am and I tell everyone the new plan, eyeing the car outside the entire time.

**Author's Note: So... short... Why am I incapable of writing long chapters all of the sudden?!**

**Alright. See you guys in December!**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	17. Infantile: Part 2

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Alright. You got me. That last review broke my heart. I've missed you guys :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ace Attorney. Would I get an attorney's badge if I did? Hmm...**

Chapter 17

"Psst." Like someone who always hears "psst" for the first time, I ignored it. "Kay! You're better than that!"

"Huh what?" I turned around and said to Eric. He was tapping his foot impatiently, and his eyes were darting this way and that.

"I need-"

"Shh!" the teacher- I never remembered his name- spat. I shrugged and began to turn back around, but Eric grabbed my arm.

"I need sodaaaaaa," he hissed. The teacher without a name told us to start working on something we got yesterday and I turned back to Eric, more confident that I wouldn't get in trouble.

"You should lay off the soda, buddy," I told him with a grin. "It'll make you fat. Reese wouldn't like that." He didn't even blink at our tactician's name.

"I work it off at football," he explained. "Seriously, Raven, I NEED soda." I cocked my brow.

"Do we need an intervention?"

"No!" Mr. Nameless shot us a glare, and Eric flashed his most charming smile in response before turning back to me. "I'm just thirsty, that's all. Do you have a dollar?"

"If I had a dollar," I explained, "my fist would be dirtied with the delicious awesomenes of a Swiss Roll." Eric banged his fist against the desk, prompting another look from the teacher. "You sure you don't need that intervention?"

"I'm fine," he affirmed, though I wasn't convinced. "But something tells me that such... monetary disabilities won't pose a problem to you."

"What's that supposed to me?" I asked with a yawn.

"Come on..." I crinkled my brow. "You know... master thief?"

"OHHHHHH," I said, and I was sure the teacher would come stab us with the pencil he'd been sharpening with violent vigor.

"Yeah, Robin Hood!" Eric confirmed with a smile. "No problem, right?"

"Heh."

"What?"

"I just realized that both of your nicknames have to do with birds."

"What? Okay. Well, you can get me a can, right?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Isn't that what this whole conversation was about? Robbing a vending machine?"

"Robbing a vending machine?!" Luckily, everyone else was now as loud as we were. "I thought we were talking about birds!"

"No!"

"Heh."

"What?"

"They both start with 'r', too."

"Kay! Focus!" I stood at attention. "So are you gonna get me some soda or not?"

"No," I replied. "That's not noble at all! That's not stealing for truth, or righteousness, it's just... stealing!"

"Like that shiny new pencil sharpener in your backpack?" he interrogated with a cocked brow. I pulled my book bag closed; things like the pencil sharpener had been showing up without my knowing. I needed to look up kleptomania later.

"It's different," I told him. "I'm not gonna steal soda for you. How do you do that, anyway?"

"How should I know?" he laughed, leaning back in his seat. "You're the thief. I'm the dumb and handsome muscle!" He cocked his brow again. Stupid chiseled brow. "I'm surprised _you _don't know."

"Well it can't be _too _hard," I said defensively.

"Oh really? Prove it."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Can't do it?"

"I most definitely can!"

"Prove it."

"Fine!" Screw you, Weisner. Screw you.

The bell rings and he winks at me.

"I'm expecting my soda before practice."

"_... specting meh soda fore practice_," I mocked before crinkling up a piece of paper and throwing it at him. He laughed and rushed away.

* * *

><p>The vending machine.<p>

Never had it looked so hostile. A sophomore trots up with a fistful of quarters, and seconds later a bottle of apple juice clunks to the bottom. Apple juice? Really, little sophomore? Do you know what's going on with me right now? Do you know how much I need a freaking can of soda?

I felt it was safe to take a closer look. A simple machine, with all the soda Eric could ever drink inside. But how to get it? I glanced around and saw no one, so I decided the old "stick your arm up and see what happens" trick.

It didn't work.

Glancing around again, I decided it was safe to peek behind the machine. It had a big plug feeding into the wall, but that was it. Turning back to the front, I noticed a key hole. Of course! What was I thinking, I'd seen custodians open these things up before! This would be so easy. Locks were child's play by now. I just had to-

"Kay!" It was Mrs. Bullock. You remember her, right? First chapter? Probably not, that's fine. Anyway, I was just about to insert my lockpick into the vending machine, as I'd done with her filing cabinet not long before. "Uh... What are you doing?"

"Uh..." I could say that I was putting a coin in, but I pulled a hair clip out instead. Yeah. That would work. Wait, crap, the lock's on the other side of the machine! "I'm helping the janitors out a bit. One of them said their leg was hurting, so they wanted me to unplug this for them while they sat down." Okay. Not bad.

"Okay," Mrs. Bullock said. "But what about that?" She was pointing to my lockpick, of course.

"Oh, this? Well, this old thing, I just took it out of my hair, see?" I made a motion to push my bangs back with it, and Mrs. Bullock understood.

"Alright. Well, I assume we need to move this?"

"Wait, what?"

"The custodians only unplug vending machines when they need repairs," Mrs. Bullock explained. "So I suppose we need to take this... somewhere?"

"Yeah," I said. "Somewhere."

"There's an empty closet not far from here. It'll do. I'll tell someone later." So that was how I was roped into helping my counselor move a vending machine that wasn't even broken to a storage closet. I never even got to try picking a lock with my mouth when I was holding it from the front.

* * *

><p>"He better be greatful," I muttered, opening the storage closet and glaring at the machine. It seemed so much more vulnerable, unplugged and dark. I pulled out my lockpick and moved towards the lock, only to find that even the darkness was against me. It was most definitely to dark to pick now, and I cursed under my breath. Stupid charming football player, charming me into getting him a freaking soda...<p>

I noticed the dolley that Mrs. Bullock and I had used to wheel the machine into the closet, and I sighed when I realized it would see use again today. With a grunt I rolled the dolley over to its old friend and, somehow, managed to get it on. I glanced outside- I'd been doing my fair share of glancing that day- and saw there was no one there. School had let out not long ago, and Eric was expecting his soda soon.

I quickly wheeled the machine into the light, excited to finally get this over with. But who do I see walking down the hall but Mr. Nameless, who already hates me for talking in his class. And, probably, for not remembering his name. Anyway, I scurry the machine across the hall as he looks at his phone, and I end up pushing it all the way outside. It was a stupid situation, but at least I could be fairly sure that no one would see me here. It was just a rarely-used road at the back of the school.

But someone _was_ using it. Someone with a white car that had some compromising evidence in it, and it was parked so close to me that I was surprised the drug dealer hadn't come out to kill me himself. Upon squinting, however, I noticed that it was empty. Still, the car was unmistakable. I wheeled the vending machine closer in a trance.

Suddenly my load is much lighter. The machine has toppled off the dolley and is rolling down the hill in a very blocky fashion, but rolling nonetheless. Right before it makes contact, I consider all my other options. I could've broken into the car and looked for evidence there. Or just left it alone.

The I heard the _crash_, and I knew this was the most satisfying option. I dropped the dolley and ran.

* * *

><p>"Here's your freaking soda, man."<p>

"Whoa!" Most of the cans had exploded or something when they hit, but many were still intact. Eric scooped a can of root beer, let the fizz overflow the top and wash his hands, before taking a sip. "OH MY GOD KAY THANK YOU. They could've been colder, though."

"Colder?_ Colder_?" I crossed my arms defiantly. "Do you know how much I had to go through to get you this stupid soda? And look at all of it! All you could ever want! And there's money, too, since the little money holder thing broke. And you're telling me it could be _colder_?" He laughed and took another long sip.

"It's perfect, Kay. Thanks. But, uh... how'd all this happen?" He was motioning towards the wreckage of machine and car, causing soda to slosh out of the can and on his hands again. It was quite an interesting sight.

"Had to stop a drug dealer. You know how it is." Suddenly I had that feeling. The pricks on your neck. The feeling that someone was watching you.

Cautiously I turned around and saw what I expected to see. The drug dealer was a little ways off, in awful awe of the scene before him. I thought fast, as I'd done all day.

"Is this your's?" I yelled to him. He didn't reply. "I'll call for help!" I grabbed Eric and dragged him back to the building, hoping that he never got a look at our faces.

**Author's Note: So yeah, a little filler to ease you back in. But plot happened at the end, so it's okay :D (I totally made that up as I went along. It was supposed to be just filler.)**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	18. Infantile: Part 3

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Okay, so no one reviewed the last chapter- which is cool, I totally deserve it- but sakarigirl's been nice enough to draw freaking adorable pictures for us! :D When she tells me that her picture of Reese is done, I'll make sure to post a link so you can all ooh and ahh and fangirl and stuff. That's what Fabula and I did XD**

**Disclaimer: Don't own AA. Hey, that's Aradia from Homestuck's pesterchum initials!**

Chapter 18

"An incident has occurred at Myren High School involving a car, a vending machine, and quite a bit of drugs. A drug dealer who has yet to be apprehended had parked his car behind the school, and in it was twelve pounds of cocaine. Somehow, a vending machine that was supposed to be broken tumbled down the hill and-"

"You'd think they'd have better things to report, huh?" I asked my mother with a nervous laugh.

"But this is your school!" she exclaimed. She'd been watching the screen with silent wonder. "A vending machine crushing a car, and drugs?!" She shot me a suspicious look. "You haven't been taking any, have you?"

"What? No!" That was the truth, at least. Mom sighed.

"I'm sorry, honey. It's just that with all this Yatagarasu stuff and now this... I'm worried about you, that's all."

"There's nothing you need to worry about," I assured her with a smile. Great. _Now_ I was lying.

* * *

><p>"So I have an idea!" I yelped, nearly dropping my phone. I had been looking at the photo I'd taken of the car "accident"; it had Eric pouring two root beers on his mouth at once. I couldn't wait to show Reese.<p>

But there was something even more important- the license plate of the car. I hadn't even noticed before, but I could include this in the evidence letter for this robbery.

But Cody broke me out of my foreshadowing.

"What is it?" I asked, stowing the phone away. Who knew what kind of trouble Eric and I would get in if someone saw this photo?

"So did you have any plans about how I would infiltrate... the uh... shoe place... robbery... thing?"

"Not really," I admitted with a shrug. "I was gonna ask Reese about it later."

"Well, look no further, for I have a better idea than either of you can ever come up with!" I cocked my brow. "I'll become a drug dealer."

"That's not- wait, seriously?" He nodded, a smug look on his face. I face-palmed. "You... no! I'm not sending a freshman off to be a drug dealer, even if it'll help bring other drug dealers down later!"

"C'mon!" Cody reasoned, opting to follow me instead of heading in the direction of his class. "It's perfect! I'll be able to get to some of their stashes, or at least their distributors. That'll be enough evidence for you, wouldn't it?"

"Probably not," I admitted. "We need to uproot them, and that'd just be pruning the leaves."

"You mean, the _marijuana leaves_?"

"Look at me. My sides are exploding from laughter."

"Your's was an excellent metaphor nonetheless, though."

"Thanks."

"Seriously, though, I don't think you're acknowledging how beneficial this would be," he reasoned. "I would be able to at least get kinda close to their people, and maybe find out the best place for you to go and get evidence!" I sighed.

"Yes, but you'd be a fake drug dealer, all short and stuff, with a bunch of real drug dealers with guns bigger than you." Admittedly, the boy was growing rapidly all the sudden; the "5'0" on his record was quite dated.

"Don't make me go on a tangent, Kay," he threatened, eyes narrowed.

"Oh, well would you look at that!" I said a bit too loudly. "It's my class. You better go, Cody." We had a staring contest for a few seconds, and his glare was pretty scary. But he turned on his heel and left anyway.

I was glad that Reese was in my next class, partly because of the picture and now because of the need to formulate a better plan than Cody's.

* * *

><p>"Hey Riiiiah?" I asked, drawing out her name in an attempt to sound adorable and have a better chance at getting what I want.<p>

"Hm?" she replied gruffly, not taking her eyes off her sketchbook. She was drawing doodles for her comics.

"Can you drive Reese and I to the DeLite's?" She froze and turned to me, her brow furrowed.

"Why?"

"So that we can have a girl's trip!" She obviously wasn't buying it. "Okay, I promised Ian my car and Reese doesn't have one, so we need a ride."

"Well, why do you need to go to the DeLite's?" she continued, flipping her page up and down. It was as if she was saying, "Depending on what you say, I'll stop drawing."

"It's Cody's plan for the next robbery," I explained. "He thinks the best thing to do is masquerade as a drug dealer. Unfortunately, Reese and I were having a hard time thinking of better ideas, so we were gonna see of they had any."

"Fine," Riah sighed. "But I have a deadline to meet. I need to work."

"Sure! Fine! I can drive." Riah snorted.

"Please. Like I'd let you drive my car."

* * *

><p>"Frankly, that whole plan sounds like a bad idea," Desiree said. That wasn't surprising.<p>

"It's perfect!" I argued. "I mean, a social-network-take-over-the-country thing is one thing, but drugs! It's ALWAYS drugs!"

"But drug lords can be scary," Ron informed. "We've had to kick them out a couple times..."

"We'll do it no matter what you say, so talking like that'll do you no good," I warned. "So, any ideas for Cody?" The two thieves looked at each other for a moment.

"Have him pose as a rich kid," Desiree began.

"Make him act interested in larger quantities," Ron added. "The dealers are suckers for rich kids wanting more..."

"Aunt Wonnie! Aunt Dessie!" Riah snorted. "Who is here?"

"It's Miss Kay," Desiree told her niece. "And Miss Riah. And Miss Reese."

"Hi Miss Kay! Hi Miss Wiah! Hi Miss Wee-"

"Hi sweetie," I answered for the three of us before turning back to the older DeLites. "So you think-"

"Aunt Dessie!" It was Andrew this time. "What's this hooky thing?"

"'Hooky thing'?" Ron asked his wife, a scared look in his eyes. "Is that...?"

"Have a nice day, Kay!" She said nervously.

"But-" Reese began.

"We'll be busy for the rest of the day, it seems," Ron informed.

"You got it," Desiree said, laughing nervously. "Just tell Cody to be careful. And keep an eye on him the entire time. And... You got it bye!" We were kicked out before even realizing what happened, or even what "hooky thing" meant.

"Well that was productive," Riah said in her stressed, irritated voice, impatiently pulling a pencil from behind her ear.

"It was," Reese argued as we neared the fancy car in the DeLites' driveway. Riah's car wasn't nice enough that it stood out in the student parking lot, but nice enough to appreciate it once inside. "I mean, now Cody doesn't have to go all _Breaking Bad_ on us." **(**_**Breaking Bad**_** is my boyfriend's favorite show. I had to put it in here somewhere XD It's always drugs, right?)**

"I can't help but think Freshie's idea was better, though," Riah countered as she slid into the driver's seat. It was heated. Yeah.

"It was," I acceded. "No doubt about it. But Cody's our little Cody, not Cody the big bad drug dealer man!"

"That's an excellent title," our British friend laughed. "If I ever became a drug dealer, that's what I'd want my name to be!"

"Reese the big bad drug dealer woman," Reese mumbled to herself.

"Yes, I am excellent at naming things," I agreed. "I'm like one of those generators that gives you stripper names!"

"I'll let your genius rest at home, then," Riah told me. "Like I said, I have a dealine to meet. You probably do, too; how long are you willing to wait before we strike?"

**Author's Note: Yep. Shorter chapter, but whatever. Next chapter Cody will be posing as a rich druggie... or will he?**

**Drinking game! Take a shot of apple juice every time someone says something to do with drugs. Why apple juice? Why even ask such a question? In the words of a ninja rat, it's like liquid gold.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	19. Infantile: Part 4

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: I love this story. So much.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah and stuff.**

Chapter -

The drug dealer had gotten a new car. It didn't take long; he was back in business before we even had made a plan of attack. Everyday I looked at the car and scowled. At least there weren't as many customers after the "accident".

But something was wrong. Our handsome dealer was more cautious after his car got destroyed by a wayward vending machine, and he had been leaving early the past few days. But our school must've had more druggies than I thought, for he stayed a safe distance away even after the suspicion arose. And he stayed long enough to let us put our plan in motion.

"We need lots of money for your dumb plan," Cody informed the day before zero hour.

"It's not dumb, it's the best thing we've got."

"My idea's better."

"For God's sake, Cody, you won't be a drug dealer! And I was planning on asking Riah for some."

"Money?" I yelped at the familiar British accent. "I must warn you, lots of people have come asking for money and left with a few less fingers."

"We wouldn't keep it!" I assured. "Well... okay... we'd KINDA keep it. Or, the drug dealers would."

"How grand."

"But it's for the betterment of humanity!" I concluded excitedly. That always got 'em.

"No." Alright, not always.

"Well I need money to get my dope," Cody said, looking a bit too happy to say so.

"Ask that one red-haired girl. The one in your grade."

"Delilah? Why?"

"She's rich. Dad owns a publishing company or something. And maybe she'd actually give you some."

"What would he tell her?" I prodded, frustrated. "'Hey, can you spot me nine hundred bucks? We've only met once, but I REALLY need some weed from the guy outside!'"

"I think she thinks I'm cute, too," Cody added.

"What?"

"Nothing. Never mind. Stop looking at me."

"Freshie's all mine!" Riah protested, eliciting a radiant smile from Cody. "Wait, did you say nine hundred?"

"Something like that," I confirmed. "I mean, I don't really know how much drugs cost."

"That's nothing!" she laughed. "I spend that much money on tea! Here." Riah flipped her backpack around, fishing around the bottom. With a scoff, she started patting down the detachable side pockets, settling on one. When the zipper would open, she ripped if off in frustration, handing it to us.

"That should do it," she told us with a smile. I took the bag from her, dropping it almost immediately.

"How much is in here?" I asked, astonished by the weight.

"Not quite sure. It's a mixture of my allowance and some royalties. Got it in the mail the other day." I cocked my brow and unzipped the pouch, nearly choking on my own spit when a few rogue twenties fluttered out.

"There must be at least two thousand in here!"

"Keep it down!" Riah hissed. "Don't need all the colonies knowing I'm loaded. Just give me the difference, yeah?"

"O... O... Okay!" Good God, I'd never held so much money in my life.

"Lemme see!" Cody ripped the pouch from my hands, meriting the escape of a few more bills, which I scooped up along with the ones I'd spilled. When I looked up again, Cody's jaw was practically on the floor.

"Well, have fun!" Riah chirped with a wave. "Tell me how it goes!"

Suddenly the money felt alien in Cody's hands, so he shoved the pouch into my stomach. But I didn't feel any better with it, so we essentially played Hot Potato until the bell rang. It was in my hands when this occurred.

"Plan's going into action tomorrow, right?" Cody asked, silently pitying me for my potentially dangerous fate. I mean, a teenage girl with two grand in her backpack? Recipe for disaster, even with my recent martial arts training.

"Yeah. We'd better go." But I guess he wouldn't be any better off.

* * *

><p>"Look at how confident he looks," I cooed as Ian, Reese, and I watched Cody approach the car from the safety of the school. "He's so cute, all marching up there with all his money to try and get dope so we can consequently destroy a drug empire!"<p>

"It's positively adorable," Reese said blandly. I could tell that she thought this plan was dumb. I had known she had liked Cody's better, but I didn't know she was that bitter about it.

"He couldn't be a drug dealer," she told me right there, in front of the window, "but sometimes the second best thing just isn't good enough."

"Did you just read my mind?" I asked, brow cocked.

"Can you keep it down?" Cody hissed into our earpieces. They were the same little bullets from before, and Ian was next to us, working out any kinks on his laptop.

"Sorry," we both murmured at the same time. I leaned against the wall, stressed out. It was the very beginning of the day, and we'd gotten to school just late enough to not be suspicious. The car was there, being eyed by a teacher in the student parking lot.

Reese had chosen to continue watching Cody, which was for the best. Who knew if some high kid would start beating him up or something?

"Can you see me?" I heard Cody whisper through the bullet.

"Yes," Reese whispered back.

"Good." I didn't wait for a response; I assumed he was looking to Mama Reese for comfort. That was silly of me.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. I glanced upwards; she had taken the binoculars I'd offered earlier and had them pressed to her eyes.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Getting in the car was NOT part of the plan!" she went on.

"What?" Ian and I asked at the same time.

"I'm not in any car," he said, more quietly.

"I know exactly where you're going, Cody Hackins," she chastised. Admittedly, even I felt a little ashamed at her stern, maternal voice. "Do NOT get in that car. That's a bad man who'll hurt you."

"Only if he sees through my act," Cody replied. I could just see him flashing a mischievous grin and it made me want to hit something. Then I heard a car door open and close.

"And who are you?" I heard a voice ask smoothly.

"Someone interested in the family business." When did Cody's voice get so deep?

"Excuse me?" the voice that I assumed belonged to the drug dealer asked.

"I understand what's going on here," Cody went on. "Ever since that vending machine incident, you've been all paranoid. Aw, look at your face, you have!"

"Try to be nicer!" Reese hissed, understandably terrified.

"Point is, I understand your needs," Cody continued. "You wanna... shall we say... _distribute _amongst the less stable of my peers, but now everyone's onto you. After all, I guess lightning _does _strike in the same place twice, eh?"

"Get to the point, kid," the smooth voice ordered, the fear frosting his voice.

"Let me do the distribution for you," our little friend finished.

"And why shouldn't I throw you out right now?" the drug dealer questioned.

"Something tells me you wouldn't do that," Cody argued. "I need money. I've got a record. Just set me up, I'll do your job for you." There's silence. Ian, Reese, and I were incapable of speech. Or breathing, for that matter.

"If I hear a word outta this school, you're dead, even if you're ten." We probably sighed a bit too much.

"I happen to be good with secrets," Cody replied, and I couldn't help but visualize his grin. "And lying. I'm really good at lying."

"Be thankful for that." There was more silence, broken by Reese's gasp.

"Is he backing out?" she quietly yelled. "Like, in the car?"

"Where we goin'?" Cody asked. There was no fear whatsoever. He's a good one.

"The warehouse. I'll talk to my boss about you distributing, in your words. Why? You afraid of missing school?" I was visualizing Cody's grin again, but this time it was on the handsome, fearsome face of the drug dealer.

"No," Cody scoffed. "I just don't wanna look suspicious." To our surprise, the dealer laughed.

"You're on your way already, kid! Good thing I needed some help!"

There was a silence between Cody and the dealer for awhile, and Reese took the oppurtunity to talk to me instead.

"I've never been so terrified in my life," she confessed, rubbing her forehead.

"What are we even supposed to do now?" I questioned.

"Go to class." I spun around, surprised by Ian's assertive answer. He had gotten everything gathered up and his backpack was slung over his shoulder. "The bell's gonna ring in two minutes."

"But we can't just leave Cody!" I yelled, attracting attention. All turned heads lost interest quickly.

"I'll talk to him in the bathroom if I need to," Reese suggested. "Tell him a code word. Cody, can you hear me?" A vicious cough resounded through the bullets.

"You alright, kid?" the dealer asked.

"Yeah," he replied, coughing again. "Just a tickle."

"That'll be it," Reese confirmed. "Just cough and say 'Just a tickle'. When you do, I'll say I have the runs and try to guide you out of... whatever it is you've gotten yourself into." She said the last part with a sigh. Cody, like a good little mole, didn't respond.

"I'm taking my headphone thing out now," I told him. I immediately heard him grunt.

"What's up?" the dealer asked.

"A bug," our freshman scoffed. A smacking sound followed. "Got it."

"I had thought I heard something," the dealer concured. "Good job."

"Ew."

"You two should go," Reese said, sounding very stressed.

"Okay. Yeah." Ian and I felt that was best for everyone.

* * *

><p>It was the end of the day. Eric, Riah, and Ian were next to me, waiting in an empty parking lot. I hadn't seen Reese all day, and therefore I had no word from Cody. He could have a bullet in his brain and I wouldn't know. I wanted to throw up.<p>

"Reese!" Riah dashed towards the door that our chess player was exiting, her scarf trailing behind her. Even with the head start, she didn't reach her before Eric.

"What's up?" he asked frantically. Reese silently shushed him, and we crowded around her.

"Already?" Her voice was cracked and tired, and Eric wrapped his arm around her. She leaned in gratefully. "Alright. Oh, I see you." Everyone's heads snapped in the direction she was looking, only to see a little dot approaching.

"Freshie!" Riah screamed.

"Katana!" Eric laughed, letting Reese lean in more after a sigh of relief. "You're alive!" He started to move forward, and Reese stumbled after him. Now I don't know exactly what happened after that, since Ian and I were sprinting towards Cody, but I think it involved an exhausted chess player and an excited athlete willing to carry her home.

"Freshie!" Riah yelled again, pouncing Cody.

"This is a good end to a good day," he said suavely, blushing all the way.

"What happened?" I asked, kneeling down.

"Stuff," he answered with a yawn. He had the same bags under his eyes as Reese, and his voice was hoarse. Reese must've had to help him a lot.

"Good stuff?"

"_Very _good stuff," he replied with a grin, not even trying to shake off Riah's bear hug. "I'm a working man now."

"You were magnificent," Reese said with a little laugh.

"Thanks for all the help," he replied, finally removing Riah's arms. "They made me walk home, you know."

"Jerks!" I scoffed. Cody laughed, but not as hard as I thought he would.

"They're a bit more than jerks," he answered.

"But how was it?" I prodded. "How bad were they? I'll admit, I'm surprised he trusted you so quickly!" He snorted. "What?"

"I'm not."

"Why?"

"He had a gun to my head the entire time," our freshman yawned.

**Author's Note: And now I'm tired.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	20. Infantile: Part 5

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: So here's the dealio. I HAD the next chapter, and I THOUGHT I had updated, but then I was like "Oh I'll go read Assembly and maybe get inspiration" and I'm like WAIT WHERE'D IT GO. So I just spent, like, half an hour trying to find it, but I'm pretty sure it's gone for good. So this chapter will be short since I'm irritated, and it had some kinda dumb filler anyway. Seriously; like, half the chapter was the Yatagarasu freaking Jason out and Kay and Cody getting into an argument about drugs.**

**That'll probably be included, actually. That conversation was fun to write. **

**Also: WAS DUAL DESTINIES GREAT OR WAS IT GREAT. You don't need to give it a ten outta ten; I'll do it for you.**

**Disclaimer: I'm irritated shut up.**

Chapter 20

"They want me to start distributing the package on Monday," Cody told me for the billionth time. "Seriously, we need to do it soon!"

"The package?" I asked with a smirk. "You spend a day with a couple drug dealers and you start calling it the _package_?" We were in the main lobby of our school, and there were so many conversations going on at once that it was impossible to eavesdrop.

"Fine!" he exclaimed. "I don't wanna sell drugs! I don't see the problem with this!"

"SHHHH!" I hissed, slapping a hand over his mouth. "You can't just yell that here!"

"But I thought the term 'package' was too good for you," the freshman countered, cocking his brow.

"Yeah, when we're either quiet or alone! You can't just start screaming about drugs here!" Of _course _people around us hear _me _instead of _him_. So I get the dirty looks. Great.

"I don't know why you get to talk," Cody mumbled. "You're the one who insists on calling robberies 'projects'."

"It makes them sound cool," I argued. "Like, code names."

"Package can be a code name."

"Why are we even arguing about this?" I asked, suddenly confused.

"You started it," Cody mumbled.

"Okay, so we need to do it by Monday?" I confirmed. He nodded vigorously.

"Or else I need to sell dr- the package."

"So the ro- the project will need to be this weekend."

"This weekend?!" Riah had managed to sneak up on us, and consquently scare the living crap out of me. "You do realize it's Thursday, right?"

"I don't wanna sell drugs!" Cody reasoned.

"Package!" I hissed, glancing around us.

"Oh, so NOW you're okay with it."

"We may be able to do it Sunday," Riah said thoughtfully.

"Can't do Friday," Cody added. "Eric's got a game and I've got play practice."

"And I'd rather not do it on a school night," I put in. "Okay, robbery's on Saturday."

"PROJECT," my two companions hissed.

"Oh my Go- never mind. Let's find Reese and tell her."

**(A/N: It was a lot funnier the first time XD I'm sorry this was kinda dumb.)**

* * *

><p>We all met at the lake house at the same time as before, but I was last to show. My mom had decided this was a great day for a shopping spree, and no matter how many times I said I needed to get to Riah's to work on a project (hehe), she was insistent that I try on another dress.<p>

The beautiful display case had been sullied with fingerprints, but the cloak was as breathtaking as it had been the first time I'd seen it. Riah and Ian were working on the huge monitors, setting up their respectable stations, and Cody and Eric were engaging in multiple battles of chess. Cody beat him every time, much to his elder's chagrin.

All seemed well, and I could only hope that it would stay this calm throughout the night.

Unsurprisingly, my hopes were unfounded.

At the first thump, I thought I was just hearing things. The second was more definite, and I was promptly poking Riah in the ribs.

"Riah."

"Hm?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" she asked with a yawn.

"I think someone's here." She immediately perked up, looking across the lair suspiciously.

"In the house?"

"No, in the North Pole."

"Alrighty everyone," Riah called out, jumping from her chair. "Minor change of plans. We're looking through the house to see if there's an intruder."

"Intruder?" Reese asked, wide-eyed.

"Kay heard something, and I trust those thieving ears. C'mon." We split up into teams, two people per floor. Ian and I got the basement, and I accompanied the poor shivering lad to the lowest level. Luckily for him, we weren't there long.

"Kay!" It was Riah, screaming from the top of the stairs, and she didn't sound happy. "We found 'em!" Ian dashed upstairs faster than I thought possible, and as I followed, I contemplated dragging him to my martial arts classes.

The intruders were none other than Ron DeLite and his niblings- I learned that word not long ago and I can't stop saying it-, the adorable Arielle and Andrew. They were both clinging to their uncle, and Riah loomed over them, clearly irritated.

"How did you get into this house?" she interrogated. "It's got an excellent security system."

"Masque DeMasque, remember?" Ron replied, shivering as much as Ian had a moment before. I certainly wouldn't want to be the recipient of Riah's glare.

"And how'd you know where we would be?"

"I called Kay's house," he answered. "Her mom gave me directions. It was hard to find in the dark..."

"What'cha need, Ronnie?" I asked, happy this was the intruder and not someone more sinister.

"Babysitters," he answered promptly.

"We're gonna hang out with the Yatarasa!" Andrew exclaimed.

"Yatawasa!" Arielle repeated.

"Excuse me?" Riah hissed.

"See, Dessie and I took the kids to dinner at this new bar and grill," Ronnie began. "At one point, this enormous drunk man insulted my masculinity, and Dessie fought for my honor."

"Oh no!" I yelled, imagining the scene. Ron glanced at me, confused.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "She won. After beating the crap out of him, we decided that it would be best if we left, and outside we saw these thugs messing with these Girl Scouts." My eyes widened, antipicating the outcome. "She beat them up with a broken bottle and the drunk man's underwear." I really wasn't surprised. "Anyway, the point is, we got into a little accident on the way home and she's in the hospital overnight."

"Aunt Dessie beat 'em up!" Andrew exclaimed, looking really excited.

"I hope you don't mind that he'll be imitating her moves all night," Ron told us.

"Wait," Riah interrupted. "We never agreed to this!"

"Come on, Riah!" I argued. "Dessie in the hospital! After saving Girl Scouts! Girl Scouts, Riah!" She glared at me, then at the children.

"I-"

"Thanks for this, Kay!" Ron mumbled, prying his niblings (just say it, guys, it's so much fun) off of him and glancing at the back door. "I'll pick them up tomorrow morning. Bye!" Then he did something unexpected: he threw a smoke ball, causing a coughing fit amongst the Raven, and when it cleared Andrew and Arielle were looking at them, wide-eyed.

"Oh my God," Riah mumbled, making her way towards the library.

"Sweet!" Eric laughed, scooping up both children, much to their joy. "Congratulations, you two! Tonight, you're an official member of the Yatagarasu!"

**Author's Note: So sorry 'bout that.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	21. Infantile: Part 6

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: Wassup! Thanks to SecondAttemps for rekindling my intense love for this story.**

**Disclaimer: Blah de blah de blah**

Chapter 21

"Ground rules," Riah said, irritated and pointing to the Yatagarasu's new charges. Arielle and Andrew stood at attention, staring up with big, brown eyes. "You are not to touch anything. I am going to take you to the lair, and you are going to sit in a chair, and you are going to stay in that chair unless I tell you otherwise." The two nodded, Arielle's red curls flopping as she did so. "You are not to talk during the robbery unless spoken to. Reese needs to concentrate." The two nodded again, continuing to watch their temporary guardian expectantly. Riah sighed and, deciding that she was done, pulled on _Robin Hood_ and opened the way.

Andrew and Arielle immediately dashed in, of course. The youngest clutched my leg, and I laughed and picked her up. The brother stood marveling at the computers mounted to the wall, and Eric knelt down to tell him about what Ian and Reese were capable of with them. The strategist tried to focus on setting everything up, but she seemed distracted by the children and Ian was too busy laughing at mine and Arielle's impromptu dance to help her.

"Alright, alright," Riah said with a sigh, pointing to the biggest chair in the lair. "Both of you. Stay there." Obediently, the children climbed into the seat, their mouths pressed together.

"Alright," Reese sighed, glancing at the children and then at the team. "Kay, go ahead and get the cloak on. You, Eric, and Ian need to be at Tyson in half an hour. Recite the plan really quick."

"First we go to Tyson," I said, wracking my brain for her exact words. "Cody said the Director of Sales is most deeply involved with the drug cartel-"

"Drugs?" Andrew asked, eyes wide. He immediately clamped his hands over his mouth when everyone turned to him. Arielle followed suit.

"So I'll go to his office first. Ian, you've got that thingamajig that'll let me bypass his firewalls, right?"

"Yeah," my friend replied, his hands in his pockets. "It's far from perfect, and will leave a computer trail, but it should get the job done tonight."

"That's fine," I replied with a wave of my hand. "You said the trail doesn't lead to us, so it's fine. Anyway, after that, we head to the warehouse where Cody was taken and take some pictures of all their cargo. Then we book it back here."

"Right," Reese confirmed, examining her headset. "Get ready. You've got five minutes before you've got to leave."

"I'll help you get your tech stuff in the van, Paperboy," Eric offered, gathering some hard drives from Ian's full arms.

"I'VE GOTTA GO TO THE BATHROOM," Andrew shouted, rushing out of the room. Riah looked like she was about to yell after them, but instead opted to shake her head disapprovingly. Turning, my detective saw that Arielle remained, her hands still over her mouth.

"Will you do that?" Riah asked the child, cocking her brow. Arielle shook her head, not daring to move her hands. "Good."

* * *

><p>"Here we are," Eric said, parking a block away from the Tyson building.<p>

"Street cameras are scrambled," Ian reported, squinting at his laptop. "Front door is locked electronically... Not anymore. Go."

I grabbed my small pack and my cloak and dashed in the direction of Tyson. It took a minute to reach, and I wrapped my cape around me and entered. I had known that the security system was electronic from my visit to the building, so Reese had decided not to take any risks with unlocked windows and decided I would do best going through the front door.

"Please tell me you were looping that footage," I whispered to Ian over the bullet.

"I was."

"Don't try and be dramatic," Reese scolded.

"I know. Where's the office?"

"Second floor. Ian, how do I pull up those blueprints of the building you got?"

"It's in the file titled 'Tyson'," he explained. "The images are sorted by floor."

"Yeah, but it's not showing- never mind, I got it. Okay, go to the right, then the left, then you'll be at the stairs."

"I've got security footage," Ian reported. "There's hardly any guards. They must all be at the warehouse or something."

"Good to know," I whispered, following Reese's instructions.

This wasn't the difficult part of the robbery. We all knew that it wouldn't be. With Ian's little flash drive device, breaking into the Director of Whatever's computer and finding sketchy sales documents was a breeze. Needless to say, I didn't need to jump out of any windows, and I was back in the van after fifteen minutes.

"That went well," Eric laughed.

"Do you have your stuff for the warehouse?" I asked, panting and pulling the cloak off.

"Yep," Eric replied, tapping the little gun in his cup holder. "Full of tranqs in case any drug dealer stops by and wants a piece of you."

"My hero."

"Yeah."

"The address we have is another fifteen minutes away," Ian interrupted. "No one's around, though. I think you can step on-"

There was a little sneeze.

"Bless you," Eric said instinctively, not realizing what just happened. Ian spun around, checking the back of the van. He turned back towards us with a groan, and Andrew's head popped up over the seat.

"Hi!" he greeted, guilty but still smiling. I thrust my bullet back in my ear.

"Reese, where's Arielle?" I asked urgently.

"In the exact same position as when you left," my strategist answered. "Why?"

"Do you notice something missing?"

"I-" It took a second for Reese to figure it out. "Oh no."

"This is why I hate babysitting!" Riah yelled in the background. "I just thought he was constipated!"

"I'm sorry!" Andrew apologized, jumping into the seat next to Ian and nearly landing on a hard drive. "It's just that Aunt Dessie and Uncle Ronnie like to talk about robberies, and I wanted to be a part of one."

"Andrew," I murmured into my hands, unable to finish my sentence.

"Listen kiddo," Eric stated, "this is a pretty dangerous one. There will be lots of danger where we're headed."

"I can do danger!" Andrew assured, eliciting a laugh from Eric.

"I bet you can. That's why you'll stay with me while Kay works her magic."

"What?" I exclaimed. Eric was to stand watch his new tranquilizer gun in case someone decided to make a midnight deal. Besides mine, it was the most dangerous place to be.

"I'd feel better if I had him in my sights," Eric explained. "No offense, Paperboy, but I don't think you're as qualified to fight off an attacker."

"You're right," Ian agreed.

"I can take care of myself," Andrew argued.

"We'll see. Hopefully, neither of us will have to take care of anyone."

* * *

><p>Back in the lair, Cody was reading one of the comics he had gotten from Ron's house, and Riah was sketching, while Reese wrote wildly on a piece of paper all the possibilities for the robbery she could think of, and the best way to her out of any bad situations. It was quiet, since they had resumed radio silence with the rest of the team.<p>

Then an end table flipped.

"BLOODY-" Riah dropped her sketchbook and Reese end up scribbling over some words, and the two quickly turned in Arielle's direction. Cody was so absorbed he hadn't heard a thing.

"What?!" Riah yelled as Reese caught her breath.

"You said not to tawk unwess you said," Arielle explained, "but I have to go potty."

"You did say that," Cody grunted.

"Alright, go potty," Riah sighed.

"Aunt Dessie usuawy heps me."

"Well, Aunt Dessie isn't here."

"Riah," Reese interrupted, "take her potty."

"No!"

"I can't do it," Cody reasoned.

"And they're getting close to the warehouse," Reese added.

"I- ugh!" Arielle jumped out of the chair and rushed to Riah, hopping up and down to signify her drastic need to go. When Riah opened the bookshelf, Arielle grabbed her hand, and my detective decided that it was too much trouble to shake it off.

"Why is your voice funny?" Arielle asked as she climbed onto the toilet.

"Because it's from Britain," Riah replied, leaning against the wall.

"What's Bwitain?"

"_Br_itain. Learn to pronounce your r's, child." Riah considered for a moment what the best way to describe a country to a three-year-old was. "Britain is... my home. We speak differently there."

"Home?"

"Yeah."

"Why awen't you home?" The way the toddler phrased the question, the innocence that dripped from her voice, is what made Riah consider for the first time in a long time why, indeed, she wasn't home.

"It's... rainy," Riah said, trying to find an answer.

"Wainy?"

"Yeah."

"It's wainy at my house," Arielle replied, simply stating a fact, not purposely toppling Riah's flimsy answer.

"I... guess it is."

"Is my daddy's home in Afca?" Arielle asked, reaching for the toilet paper. Riah got her a few squares.

"Why would you say that?"

"He never comes hewe." Riah's eyes looked down.

"No, sweet, this is his home." Arielle jumped off the toilet, pants still down, and tossed the toilet paper into the yellow water. When the redhead couldn't reach the flusher, Riah did it for her.

"Awe you going home?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"So maybe he come home?" Dang it, why did she have to ask so many questions? Riah lifted the girl up once again, this time so she could reach the sink.

Truth was, based on what she had heard, Riah didn't think Arielle and Andrew's dad would come back. He sounded irresponsible, not fit to be a father. Ron and Desiree would be better parents, the same way America was a better country for Riah. But how do you tell a three-year-old that?

"Maybe."

"Hm." Such a grown-up sound from such a little girl. Arielle would be a sharp one.

"Tell you what," Riah told her, feeling guilty for giving the girl hope as well as leaving England behind. "If I go home, you can come, too. We can see all sorts of homes." She turned off the water and set Arielle down.

"Okay!" As Riah opened the door, the redhead grasped her hand once more. This time, my detective squeezed back.

* * *

><p>Tyson's warehouse has to be one of the scariest places I've broken into to date. The security was much heavier there, and a slip on a shelf would not bode well for me, even if I didn't break my leg from the fall. There was no need for fancy cameras when they had big guys with big guns, so Ian was of no use. I was alone.<p>

But Dad had indirectly taught me well. I tread lightly at the top of the shelves, using Riah's fancy night-vision camera to silently take pictures of the shipments. The cloak hid me when I got scared. I wasn't seen.

The only time that I _really_ started to fear for my life was when I heard Ian, who was connected to Eric, frantically asking what was wrong.

* * *

><p>"What if a cop comes?" Eric quizzed his charge.<p>

"I run," Andrew answered.

"And a drug dealer?"

"I run faster."

"Good man."

"What about teenagers?" Andrew asked, sitting up a little higher.

"Um... probably run. Running is usually a good option. Wait." Eric shot up from his reclining position. "Why?"

"We should run." In the distance, a teenager was cycling towards the warehouse. He would be on them in a moment.

"Uh oh," Eric muttered. He fiddled with his bullet, still not quite sure how to work it. "Raven? Paperboy? Can you hear me?"

"I can," Ian answered.

"We've got a problem."

"What's wrong?"

"Someone's coming. A teenager, looks sober. Something's about to go down." Ian let out a little gasp, and I heard him address me from my frozen position.

"Someone's coming," he reported. "Uh..."

"Ian briefed me," Reese chimed in through the bullet. "Kay, this is bad. I'm taking a risk and saying that everyone will be preoccupied in the first, say, ten seconds of this kid's, or whatever he is, arrival. You need to get close to an escape as quickly as possible." I took her advice and began to silently rush to the window I had come in through. "As soon as he comes in, bolt. Just... Eric says that he's heading in now. Get ready. God, please be ready." I was ready. After a complex knock the door opened, and I slipped out of the window unseen.

"I'm good," I sighed into the bullet. The relief was evident through the static. "Eric, am I clear?"

"You're good," he affirmed. "Start heading this way."

So I did, even after the gasp I heard from him.

* * *

><p>"Eric!"<p>

"God, Andrew, are you trying to-" The football player stopped when he saw what the redhead was pointing to. An older man was headed their way. As in, he was right on them. And since he was right on them, and I was just turning the corner, he was even more on me.

"Raven-" Eric started, prompting a turn from the man. The two sentries sunk deeper into the bush they were hiding in, and I was blissfully unaware that I was about to walk into a drug dealer. We would be finished. God, we'd gotten _one_ robbery done, what kind of legacy was that? An unacceptable one.

So, before Eric even considered pulling out his tranq gun and blowing our cover, Andrew threw a rock.

It arced over the bush and dropped to the sidewalk with a thud, soft but enough to make the dealer turn again. Seeing what his companion was doing, Eric, who had a much stronger arm, took another rock and sent it smashing into the sidewalk. The dealer jumped, looked around suspiciously, and rushed towards the door, passing me. A combination of his panic and my cloak must've been what kept him from spotting me, still unaware that he was even there.

"You two look like you've seen a ghost," I said when I reached them, pulling off the cloak and already in running position.

Eric and Andrew looked at each other, sighed, and laughed.

* * *

><p>"You're kidding," I murmured after Eric described the incident, with a few embellishments from Andrew.<p>

"Every bit of it is the whole truth," Eric swore, hand over his heart, causing the van to swerve ever so slightly.

"Even the part where you tackled that bodyguard to the ground?" Ian questioned, brow raised.

"_I _did that!" Andrew argued.

"It's true. The kid has a future as a linebacker."

"Well aren't you my hero," I cooed, snuggling him. Andrew was blushing almost as much as Ian does most of the time.

"I can't believe you almost got caught by a drug dealer," Ian muttered, flipping through my bright green pictures.

"Are they any good?" I asked, ignoring his statement.

"Good enough," he replied. "One of them has a Tyson logo on it."

"Are you kidding."

"No. Look." Sure enough, one of the boxes I'd snapped had the logo. Probably only had shoes in it, but combined with the computer data and its surrounding drug crates, it was pretty incriminating.

"That's pretty stupid," Eric laughed. I joined.

"It is. Quick, Ian, get me the envelope. That one big newspaper you picked out is up ahead."

* * *

><p>We didn't get a hero's welcome when we returned this time, either, but we did hear music coming from the lair. After trying a couple books and me pushing the boys aside to pull <em>Robin Hood<em> (duh), the bookshelf swung open to reveal a party happening before our eyes.

Reese cracking up at the video playing from one of the monitors, while Riah had Arielle on her hip and danced with her. Cody was flailing his arm in the same fashion he had at our last party to the musical masterpieces of the Wiggles. Arielle, who must've chosen the playlist, seemed to be enjoying herself, but not as much as (surprisingly) Riah.

"You didn't greet us _again_!" I scolded, throwing the cloak on a chair.

"We're busy," Cody said, doing what I believe was the Sprinkler.

"Busy!" Arielle echoed, throwing her arms back and making a laughing Riah pull her back in.

"That's new," Eric noted, brow raised.

"She's delightful," Riah laughed. "I'm surprised I didn't see it before."

"Is this our substitute for Slender?" I asked as the song ended and Reese scrambled to find another one.

"I saved the day!" Andrew exclaimed, running to his sister and tugging her leg. She wiggled and Riah set her down.

"You did?" my detective cooed. It was weird.

"Yeah! I threw rocks."

"Wocks?" Arielle asked, head cocked and red curls tumbling to the side.

"That's the best way to save the day," Reese attested.

"What's your bed time?" Ian asked, brow furrowed.

"Heroes don't have a bed time!" I exclaimed, scooping Andrew up and dancing with him. And, based on what time we went to bed, thieves didn't, either.


	22. Infantile: Part 7

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: I had this finished yesterday, but I have had the freaking worst week ever and can only get it up now. (I almost forgot today due to the week worsening.) Oh wellll~ I'll be fine. Anyway, this chapter's short. Like, really short. But it gets what needs to be said out of the way. I've already started the next chapter, and we'll be starting a new project then! Yay!**

**Thank you to whoever reviewed. I just can't look at them right now. I probably will look at them later to make myself feel better.**

**Disclaimer: NOT IN THE MOOD**

Chapter 22

"Um... Kay?" I snorted and weakly swatted whatever was disturbing me. "Kay, I-"

"Uncle Wonnie!" Arielle squealed, yawning afterwards. Ron stepped over Riah, who was sleeping on the floor between mine and Reese's beds, and picked up his niece, who was snuggled next to the artist.

"Good morning," Reese yawned, rubbing her eyes and sitting up.

"Were they too much trouble?" Ron asked, cradling an already slumbering Arielle.

"She was a delight," Riah wearily replied, trying to open her eyes but ultimately failing.

"I'm glad," he laughed. "And Andrew...?"

"Three rooms down," Reese replied, waving her hand in the general direction.

"Thank you..." After Ron left, I turned to the bleary clock by my bed.

"Ri..." I licked my lips a little and blinked a few times. "Riah? When's your, uh... your interview?"

"Later," she said into her pillow. I blinked a few more times and the bright red numbers of the clock became clear. 11:12. I heard a raucous from down the hall as the boys woke up, and wreaked my brain for Riah's interview time. She would only be able to go to Tyson this time, not the warehouse. That is, unless her and Cody went when no one was there, as the latter had suggested. I made sure to emphasize that it wasn't my idea.

"Your interview's at one," Reese confirmed, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. Riah groaned and flipped over. At that moment, Ron popped in, still carrying Arielle and holding Andrew's hand. The little redhead yawned, and Riah shot up.

"Bye, dear," she yawned in her British accent. In response, Arielle's head poked up and she waved a weak goodbye.

"Dessie's doing better," Ron told us. "She'll be fine. I thought I'd take the kids to see her..."

"I wanna see her," Andrew stated, rubbing his eyes.

"I know, buddy," Ron replied, ruffling his hair. Turning back to us, he smiled a "Thank you" and left.

"Alright," Riah sighed. "I'll get ready." She took a deep breath and shouted: "ERIC!"

"WHAT?"

"MY INTERVIEW'S IN AN HOUR!"

"OKAY!"

It took almost that entire hour for our ears to recover, and everyone tagged along for Riah's interview/tour. She spent a lot more time than needed at Tyson, but that was to be expected when I had only visited one room in the entire building. When she finally exited and got in the truck, Riah held up one strand of hair and nodded approvingly.

"The janitor was sweeping the hall," she explained, tossing the evidence in my lap. "Anything there will be gone by the time the newspapers open."

"Sweet," I grinned.

"Can we go to the warehouse?" Cody asked, climbing over the seat. "Pleeeeease?"

It was a good idea. It would be investigated as much as the office, if not more. Then again, there was the whole drug dealers thing. I opted to just not say anything, and Eric took that as a yes.

Riah was the first to get out of the car, obviously. When she didn't even look back at us, Cody followed, as did Eric. Eventually, we were all peeking into the windows with Riah. When she okay-ed it, I picked the padlock at the door and in we went.

There was no one there; that was evident enough from the eerie silence. Lots of crates that had been there the day before were gone, and I couldn't even be sure that any remaining had drugs in them. Oh well. I could hope.

"I'm surprised there is so little security," Reese mused, eyes wide. "What about the cameras..." There was a loud crash, and everyone turned in Eric's direction. He was holding the three security cameras in his hands. Their still-hot wiring was dangling from his arms, and he shrugged.

"I'm the muscle," he reasoned, wiping them on his shirt to rid them of prints before setting them on the ground.

"Those might've had important evidence on them," Ian pointed out.

"I'm sure they're fine."

"I dunno..."

"You worry too much, Paperboy! Besides, it's not like I tore them off the wall or anything."

"You didn't?" Reese asked, brow cocked.

"Nope." Eric pulled out a Swiss Army knife with a screwdriver attachment. "Woodworking has taught me to never leave the house without it. Well, except when I go to school. A little ironic, but I don't wanna cause a panic." He grinned that mischievous grin we'd all seen numerous times. "Why, Checkers? Would you have liked that?"

"Shut up."

"I'm trying to concentrate!" Riah shouted from up ahead. We all scurried after her, and for the first time I got to see my detective in a action.

She walked normally; you'd have a hard time telling she was looking if you weren't staring at her eyes. I was. The grey irises darted from side to side, scanning the entire warehouse as if it were gridded. This square, this square, this square; she analyzed them with the speed and proficiency of a computer, and I was content knowing that nothing would be left.

"There," she said suddenly, pointing to a shelf. I jumped.

"What? Did I leave something?"

"No. Cody, fetch." The freshman pushed past me and grabbed the box she was pointing at. Now that it had been singled out, I saw a hole in the side. Cody opened the box and turned it over, catching the camera before it fell to the floor.

"That could've been bad," I mused, taking the camera. Looking at everyone else and seeing no objection to my unspoken proposition, I held the device up and let it smash on the concrete.

Eric, being useful for the second time that day, hoisted Riah to the top of the shelves, where I had lurked the night before. She congratulated me as she was lifted back down, saying that she hadn't found any evidence that could be used against us. Content with her word, the Yatagarasu booked it out of there, not wanting to stay any longer than we needed to.

And it was a good decision. As we were pulling away from the curb, another car approached. We later found out that the entire warehouse had been emptied and wiped clean, but that didn't dispose of the truth that I'd already sent to the papers.

* * *

><p>Just like last time, the news was spread on Monday. The Yatagarasu had pulled off yet another heist, exposing a massive drug ring that would lead to many more dealers behind bars.<p>

The car was not in front of the school.

That Tuesday, Desiree DeLite was released from the hospital, and she and her family attended our party at the lake house. Though there was only one song from the Wiggles, the two youngest guests seemed quite content, especially when Arielle crawled up on Riah's lap and listened to her brother and Eric tell once more the story of how they had saved me from an entire mob of drug dealers.

**Author's Note (after downloading): Heh. I saved the file as "Turnabout Assembly" but when it showed up in Doc Manager is just said "Turnabout Ass..." Hehe. That actually did make me feel better.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	23. Corruption: Part 1

_Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: We're learning about mirrors in physics and I kept on thinking about that case in AAI where that Blue Badger costume was hidden behind a mirror. That was the same case he met Kay, actually.**

**Anyway, this was one of the first cases that I came up with. That also means I came up with it in eighth grade, so prepare for some terrible eighth grade sex jokes mixed in with my more recent but also pretty bad eleventh grade sex jokes.**

**Disclaimer: I think I read somewhere that I don't actually need these on every chapter. Oh well.**

* * *

><p>"Has it ever occurred to you," Mr. Edgeworth began as I climbed in his office window, "that the reason the guards won't let you through is because I am busy with something else?"<p>

"Then I can help!" I reasoned, dropping into the chair opposite his desk.

"I'm not sure if you want to get involved in this," Edgeworth sighed, picking up a few papers before dropping them down again in frustration.

"I helped you with the smuggling thing," I reasoned. Mentally, I tallied the virus and the drugs as well.

"It's a human trafficking ring," he explained.

"... Oh."

"Yes. At the very least, there is a growing presence of prostitution, and the police department has been investigating an alarming number of disappearances. It's not ridiculous to infer that some of the call girls are not doing it willingly."

"Any suspects?" I questioned.

"You know I can't disclose that sort of information."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pleeeease?" He didn't respond this time, but did turn the file in a way that, if I craned my head, I could read it a little better.

Peek-a-Boo Cosmetics. Changed its name due to its new line of make-up, but it is best known for its lingerie. If I was to believe Mr. Edgeworth- and who WOULDN'T believe Mr. Edgeworth?- then they were making some extra money from a dark side business.

"Interesting," I mused.

"What is interesting?"

"I dunno," I replied, falling back into the chair. Edgeworth gave me a nod, and the moment was heavy with secrets neither of us had spoken but were still known.

* * *

><p>This new threat could not leave my mind. It was the perfect target for us. But there was one issue...<p>

"So how is Cody to get in there and investigate?" I concluded, having already told Ian all my woes.

Unsurprisingly, he did not have a response other than an unusually intense blush. Yeah, he probably wasn't the best person to tell about my plans. I doubted he'd want to be involved in this one at all.

"You..." he began, blinking a few times. "You should probably ask Reese."

* * *

><p>She was in the library, as usual. This time, Eric was sitting opposite to her at the chess board.<p>

"You can't move it like that," she corrected. "The knight moves in an L-shape, remember?"

"Why?" Eric questioned, exasperated. "Why can't they just move forward like normal freaking knights?"

"It's just the way the game works," Reese replied, leaning back in her chair and shrugging.

"But it's stupid!"

"Do you want me to teach you or not?" she snapped, eyes sharp. Eric sighed and moved his knight in the correct way. Reese immediately took him out with her rook.

"Bad move."

"GODDA-"

"Hi!" I interrupted. Eric shut up and Reese smiled at me.

"Hello, Kay," she said back, sitting up straighter. "Have you found a new target for us?"

"Yeah," I reported, pulling up a chair. " Peek-a-Boo Cosmetics."

"That lingerie company?" Eric asked, snapping up.

"Don't look so excited," Reese ordered before turning back to me.

"Why? It's my nature as a human teenager. My hormones are raging right now."

"Oh my God."

"Anyway," I interrupted again, "they've apparently turned into one big brothel, and some of their girls don't go into the business willingly, if you know what I'm sayin'."

"I'm picking up what you're putting down," Eric replied, leaning back in a most sophisticated manner. Reese turned to him, chuckled a little bit, then turned back to me.

"Okay, so what's the problem?"

"How do we get Cody in?" I replied. Both chess players cocked their heads, contemplating the situation.

"I'm not sure," Reese replied, knocking over another one of Eric's pawns.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, earning a shush from the librarian. "It's not your turn!"

"Glad to see you've learned something." One final time, her attention was redirected to me. "I'll think about it."

* * *

><p>"Please?"<p>

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Plea-"

"What are you doing?" I had returned to the library at the end of the day, only to find Cody in the seat that Eric had occupied and Reese trying to beat herself at chess.

"I have a /great idea/ for how to get into that panty place, but Reese says I can't!"

"Cody," she sighed, "I can't get you a job as an underwear model. It's not gonna happen."

"But it would be perfect!"

"Oh my... Kay?"

"... It would be pretty cool."

"See?"

"No."

"Do you have any ideas?" I asked our strategist, also confident that it would be impossible to disguise Cody amongst a plethora of mostly-naked women.

"I do," she replied, "but all of them require for whoever we're robbing to not see his face."

"Oh ho," Cody laughed. "Stealthy."

"That could work," I mused. "Anyway, you keep thinking on it. Ian's gonna look into their security and stuff, so as far as I know, we have plenty of time."

"We _never_ have plenty of time," Reese assured. "If I need to hurry, so does he."

* * *

><p>"I have yet to find any proof," Ian admitted.<p>

"That's okay. How about security?"

"I think they might have a... uh..."

"What?" I prodded.

"A... You know..."

"Okay, this will probably be happening a lot, so I think it's time to set up code words." I rested my chin in my hands, thinking. "Boobs are wiggles."

"Kay!"

"You're right, that's no good. Tracks of land?"

"These aren't any better!" Ian whined. "Just call them boobs!" He shouldn't have said it so loud. Who even knows what the other people in the room thought we were doing.

"That still doesn't answer my question, though," I reminded. "What did you think they have?"

"Oh. A, uh... An underground porn network."

"Good God," I mumbled. "This is more sex than I've ever had to deal with in my life."

"How do you think I feel?" Ian asked, brow furrowed.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, security? Any way to sneak Cody in there?"

"Hm..." Ian sat back in his seat, gears turning. "Well, they are holding this audition for models pretty soon."

"Nope," I denied immediately. "Reese made it very clear; Cody is not to be an underwear model."

"Not that kind of model," Ian replied, nose wrinkled. "It's for their new make-up. They want to show off how well it works." An idea, like a sunrise, began to ascend over the horizon.

"How good is it?" I asked, chin in my hand.

"I dunno. I'm not some make-up connoisseur."

"Well, did you see any before and afters in your search? How much did the models change?"

"Well, there was a girl that had some acne scars that I didn't see at all afterwards. And her eyes looked narrower."

"So it works well? Changes faces?"

"I mean, I guess."

"I got it," I said smugly, standing up and clapping my hands. "Cody may not like it, but I know how we can get him in."


	24. Corruption: Part 2

_The Assembly of a Turnabout_

**Author's Note: So I put up the last chapter literally a day or two before realizing how dismal my grades were. I finally got out of school (I passed!) and have this for you, so enjoy!**

**Hey, kinaaan and SecondAttemps! ^^ Good to see you! Glad you're still with me.**

**Anyway, I've been wanting to change the name of this story for awhile, but I can't think of anything. If anyone has any ideas, put them in the reviews and I'll make sure to take a look ^^**

**Disclaimer: *sings* I do not own Ace Attorney**

Chapter 22

"Okay."

"No, Cody, hear me ou- wait, what?" That was not the answer I was expecting when I decided to propose my idea to the Yatagarasu. I was pretty sure I'd heard wrong.

"That's fine," Cody repeated, shrugging. "I mean, it'll work."

"That's not what I expected," Riah, who had joined us in the reference section of the school library, laughed.

"Are you..." Reese seemed unsure of how to proceed. "I mean, are you sure?"

"Do you think it will work?" the freshman asked, brow cocked.

"I mean, maybe. There's a good chance."

"Then let's do it."

"Katana," Eric laughed, "you've got even more balls than I thought."

"Or less," Riah giggled.

"Don't make such a big deal out of it," Cody said, glaring. "I mean, it'd be good practice. I'm not afraid to put a dress on."

"You'll be so cute," our detective cooed.

"So, I guess it's decided?" I asked, still in shock. "Cody's going to go to that make-up exhibition as a, uh... as a girl?"

"If that's what you need," he said with a shrug.

"I mean, okay," I concluded. "I didn't expect you to accept it so readily, but you do you, I guess."

* * *

><p>"If you are going to dress up as a girl," Riah told Cody after school, "you are going to be the most adorable girl they've ever seen."<p>

"I dunno," he replied, scratching the back of his head. "I mean, my face isn't very feminine."

"It's mainly your eyes," I said. "They're pretty angular. And you're always squinting, so that doesn't help."

"Try opening your eyes as wide as you can," Reese suggested, leaning against the side of Riah's house. Diana was the least likely to ask questions, and the most likely to join in, so we had opted to prepare her house.

Cody debated for a moment, probably for the best way to represent a girl. With a shrug, he closed his eyes for a moment, easily doubling them in size when they reopened.

"It's cute," Reese commented, "but definitely looks forced."

"If I make it not look forced," Cody asked, blinking a couple times, "could it work?"

"Probably," she responded.

"What about clothes?" Riah asked, tapping her foot. "Should we go all out with pink frilly dresses, or try something more subtle?"

"If it's possible," the freshman squinted, "I would like to avoid pink and frilly things."

"You seem way too okay with this," I told him, eyes narrowed. "Is there something you're not telling us? 'Cause we won't judge you."

"What? No!" That sounded more like the Cody I know. "I just don't see what the big deal is. It's a dress and some make-up. I wear make-up on stage anyway, and what makes dresses too girly for boys?"

"Are you going to go all social justice about gender equality?" Riah asked, excited.

"No."

"Eh."

"Well, what do you wanna wear?" I asked, putting the conversation back on track.

"I dunno," he said with a shrug. "Something natural looking. Like what you guys wear." I glanced down at myself for reference; pink shirt, black skirt, knee socks. I looked pretty out there, really. Reese was more normal, with a white top and black skirt with a little checkered scarf. I also noticed that she was good with lipstick. Maybe she could do Cody's make-up, since I sure couldn't.

"We'll base it off Reese," I decided. "You're just a bit too boyish, Riah."

"Eh."

"Reese?" Cody repeated, brow furrowed. "So I have to look like I'm going to a business meeting?"

"Hey," she snapped. "Black and white go with everything."

"There's nothing else to go with, though!"

"You can be more colorful if you want," I sighed. "I was more thinking shirt and skirt."

"And tights," Riah added, cocking her brow. "Boys can shave, but their legs just aren't the same."

"Can they be purple tights?" Cody asked, eyes narrowed.

"Uh... Sure?"

"Cool."

"I've got some stuff that could work," Riah told us, jerking her head in the direction of the house. Diana was just moving through the foyer when we entered.

"Oh, hey guys," the young woman said. "What have you been doing?"

"Trying to turn Cody into a girl," Riah stated matter-of-factly.

"Dress him up like a girl, really," Reese corrected.

"Oh." Riah's guardians' head turned to the freshman. "You fighting gender stereotypes?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Cody sighed, shrugging.

"AWESOME," Diana said emphatically. "Do you need any help?"

"Can you do make-up?" I questioned.

"Oh Kay," the brunette laughed, "I am the make-up queen. Come on, I'll make you pretty in no time."

* * *

><p>She did, indeed, make Cody look pretty. Certainly prettier than any of us could have done. Diana was short and Cody was growing, so she even let us borrow some of her clothes (including purple tights.) She never questioned it, not once.<p>

That worked for us, though. Cody practiced his wide-eyed feminine look, which started looking pretty good. He complained that doing it made his eyes watery and that he had to rub them, but Reese told him to suck it up and say he had sensitive eyes if anyone asked.

He had tried adjusting his fairly gruff voice, but everyone decided to leave that as is. It was still fairly high, and could be perceived as feminine to anyone who didn't know any better. And when the day had finally come, we were fairly certain those running the exhibition wouldn't know any better.

"Only a lesbian will be able to tell," Riah said affirmatively.

"A lesbian?" Ian asked, brow cocked.

"Yeah. They can spot a faker from a mile away."

"Do you think there will be a lesbian there?" Eric added, brow also cocked.

"If we're going by stereotypes? No."

"Well, aren't we breaking gender stereotypes right now?" I continued, starting a little when Cody let out a yelp from behind Diana's bedroom door. Reese and our hostess were getting him ready.

"Kay, if this whole master thief thing is going to work, we have to hope that lesbians aren't waiting at every corner to ruin our plans."

"Dang lesbians," Eric agreed, breaking into laughter in the middle of the sentence.

"What's that about lesbians?" Diana inquired critically from behind the door.

"It's not like we're talking about you, Di," Riah responded.

"I'm not a lesbian!"

"I know, so we're not talking about you!"

"Cody's done, so we can stop talking about lesbians," Reese interrupted. A moment later, our little actor (actress?) stepped out.

"FRESHIE YOU LOOK SO CUTE," Riah squealed. Indeed, he did. Cody could rock a skirt. The one he was wearing was white, and the button down (thank God Diana didn't have much of a chest) he wore on top matched the requested purple tights. He had borrowed (seriously, Mr. Haelstrom had given him permission) a black, wavy wig from the drama room, which was now tied back in a white bow. There wasn't any make-up on his face, since all the make-up was to be done at the exhibition, but the clothes paired with his big eyes could definitely fool anyone who didn't know any better.

"Yeah, this isn't so bad," Cody consented. "Not a fan of the tights, though."

"So what's your name?" Reese interrogated.

"Cornelia Hobbs, but I go by Cory."

"Yep. Schooling?"

"I'm a home-schooled freshmen. I live with my mom since my dad died before I was born."

"Awfully dramatic, but fine. Any dreams?"

"I want to be an architect, but I know that looking nice is a big part of any successful job, so I want to teach myself to do make-up."

"Awesome. And you can improvise anything else?"

"Reese," Cody replied with a smug chuckle, "I can always improvise."

"I don't think I wanna know what that's about," Diana concluded, "so I'll be going. Have fun, Cody!"

"Thanks, Diana."

"The exhibition starts in an hour," Eric reminded, checking his watch. "We should get going."

"Can I get shotgun this time?" Cody pleaded, putting his big eyes to good use.

"Katana, the day you get shotgun is the day that nobody else is in the car."

"Dang it."

**Author's Note: I would like to point out that I am a lesbian and we indeed tend to ruin criminals' plans.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


End file.
